…and the cobbler’s children go barefoot
It’s an old expression, but you probably know what it means. It’s about the mechanic whose car is always breaking down; the computer tech whose home computer is disabled by viruses; the doctor who’s always sick.
It’s also about a South Florida Sun Sentinel consumer affairs and watchdog reporter who becomes a victim of identity theft.
McNelly Torres’ first indication that something was wrong was the delivery of a Dell credit card in her mailbox. Over the next days she received more credit cards from Lowe’s, Macy’s, Bloomindales, Crate and Barrel, Radio Shack and Toys R Us. Ten new credit card accounts had been opened in her name. She hadn’t applied for any of them.
Later, she discovered the thieves had also opened a Bank of America account online using her name, and done a good bit of internet shopping as well.
Before it was over, they’d opened 10 new credit card accounts and spent more than $8,000 using her name, identity and credit. Fortunately, the credit card issuers and retailers picked up the tab. But what it did cost her was a lot of time, energy and aggravation; each phone call spent trying to resolve the situation left her feeling spent. Like most others who fall prey to ID thieves, Torres also says she felt violated and vulnerable.
But she came out of it wiser. She no longer complies when a receptionist in her doctor’s office asks for her Social Security number. And, she said she knows now that you can never be too careful.
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