Just when you think you have heard everything, something new comes along and that is just what happened recently when 39 year old Brandie Bloor was convicted of fraud and identity theft stemming from her theft of the identity of an 83 year old man, taking out a loan in his name and then using the proceeds to pay for a tummy tuck, liposuction and breast implants.  The crime came to light when the identity theft victim started receiving notices that he was behind in his loan repayments.  At first, Bloor said that she too was a victim of identity theft and that she was not the person who received the cosmetic surgery, however, an identifying rose tattoo on her abdomen gave her away.  She then said that she earned the money as an escort for the senior citizen, but this lie too was soon disproved.  This is not Ms Bloor’s first brush with the law.  Among her convictions are fifteen for forgery alone.  She has pleaded guilty and is now awaiting sentencing.

TIPS

The first inkling that the victim got that he was a victim of identity theft was letters from the loan company about a loan he had never taken out.  Whenever you receive any communication about a debt that you have not incurred, you should not delay in contacting the creditor to dispute the bill and then check your credit report for other indications that your identity has been stolen and your credit affected.  In my book “50 Ways to Protect Your Identity and Your Credit” I describe the steps you need to take to correct mistakes in your credit report.