Investigators called him cunning and smooth – and now they’re calling him a thief and a scam artist.
Louis Farra Khan Reed, 23, was arrested in Venice, Fla., for posing as a police investigator pretending to be conducting an identity theft investigation so he could obtain personal information to be used for his own criminal activity.
According to police reports, Reed victimized elderly Venice residents by tricking them into giving him their information, which he used to apply for and obtain credit cards in their names. According to investigators, it wasn’t Reed’s first time around the block – he has been involved in identity theft in other unrelated cases.
In this case, Reed’s scam was simple: he called elderly residents and claimed to be a police officer investigating identity theft in the area. He even masqueraded as an FBI agent in one case, telling an elderly man that someone had used his Social Security number to obtain a credit card.
He would then tell the victims that he needed their personal information to verify fraudulent cards and documents, and to track down those responsible. Victims supplied Reed with Social Security numbers, dates of birth, addresses and places of birth, and some even gave him the maiden names of their mothers.
Reed has been charged in this case with three counts of criminal use of personal identification, two counts of impersonating a police officer and a misdemeanor count of theft. He also faces 14 more counts related to identity theft, as well as five felony counts, in other cases in Venice.
It is important to remember that when someone calls your home for any reason and requests your personal information, if you have any doubt as to their purpose or identity, it’s best to just not surrender the information. Being cautious is your right and you should always remember: when in doubt, don’t.
