Identity Theft Hurts

Georgia man charged with identity theft, forgery

Identity theft. You can do it, Home Depot can help.

Associated Press - November 15, 2008 1:04 PM

As a victim of financial identity theft, these articles always get my blood boiling…

CLAYMONT, Del. (AP) - State police say a Georgia man has been arrested after trying to use a fraudulent credit card at a home improvement store in Claymont. (Actually, the Georgia man was arrested after trying to use a fraudulent credit card that he was easily issued online by a sloppy lender)

Police say 49-year-old Joey Tamba Jones, of Dunwoody, Ga., tried to buy merchandise at a Home Depot on Wednesday with a store credit card he got online using someone else’s identity (Correction: with a store credit card he got online when Home Depot and the credit bureau failed to validate the identity theft victim’s credentials). Police say Jones also presented a fake identification card, but employees realized it was a scam and held Jones until police arrived.

In Jones’ car, police say they found a list of names with Social Security numbers and they also learned that four credit card accounts were (easily issued by the lenders and credit bureaus with thier sloppy credit-granting standards) opened recently using personal information of some of the people on the list.

Jones is charged with 12 counts of identity theft, four counts of forgery and attempted theft and is being held on $70,000 bail.