View this article online: https://www.claimsjournal.com/news/east/2012/10/18/215694.htm
Identity thieves are striking multiple residents of the same Berks County, Pa., neighborhood.
Detectives say it’s unusual that the victims are all neighbors living in Douglassville, Amity Township.
They usually see a few cases of stolen identification per month but they knew something was wrong when the numbers suddenly rose to about five cases a week.
Bogus charge accounts were opened at Kohl’s, Neiman Marcus, Walmart, Toys R Us and Home Depot, among others. One bank account was even opened at a TD Bank.
Local authorities have obtained surveillance images from California, Tennessee, North Carolina and Wisconsin, where criminals were using the personal information of the Berks homeowners.
Police said the unit of the Secret Service that specializes in fraud will be getting involved in the case.