Criminal Impersonation (Identity Theft)

DATE & TIME: 05-18-2020 @ 1205

LOCATION: Odell, Nebraska

OFFENSE: Criminal Impersonation (Identity Theft)

CASE #: 2020-2168

A resident from the Odell area reported to a Gage County Sheriff’s Office investigator that she was the victim of criminal impersonation, colloquially known as “identity theft”. She had opened an e-mail in her “spam” folder and clicked on a link, which connected her with a suspect who offered to help her with suspicious activity on her credit accounts. She granted access to the suspect, who eventually made fraudulent charges in excess of $2,000.00 on her credit cards.

She did not lose any money from her banking accounts, and after realizing the chicanery of the scam, she started the process of rebutting the claims from credit companies. She alerted her bank, the credit card companies, the Federal Trade Commission, and the credit reporting agencies.

The investigator completed a report for criminal impersonation and advised her the credit companies would be responsible for reporting their individual losses to law enforcement. She was also advised to continue to monitor her financial situation as well as her mail for any fraudulent accounts that may have been opened in her name.

If you become the victim of identity theft or fraud, immediately report it to your local police department or call the Gage County Sheriff’s Office and ask to speak with an investigator.

Sheriff Millard “Gus” Gustafson #903

Investigator T. Hanson #90310