Identity
Theft Ring Targets Frances Victims By Troy Kinsey Four men posing as officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency obtained personal financial information from several members of an Ocala church Sunday night, according to the Ocala Police Department. The men, who are said to have been well-dressed, arrived at the New St. John's Baptist Church in Northwest Ocala carrying stacks of legitimate FEMA fliers describing disaster aid eligibility and application requirements. Police believe the men, who did not produce identification, carried the fliers to establish credibility with the alleged identity theft victims. In the week following the onslaught of Hurricane Frances, 3,228 FEMA personnel have traveled to Florida to assist in disaster relief operations. Many have been scouring counties declared federal disaster areas - of which Marion County is one - to inform residents whose property was damaged as a result of the hurricane that aid may be available under certain circumstances. The church is located in a neighborhood that was damaged in areas by a tornado during the Frances ordeal, making many living there eligible for federal disaster aid. "(The FEMA impostors) are asking for...bank information as well as social security numbers, and we want to make sure people realize they are not to give anybody that information until they contact FEMA and get the correct paperwork, because right now we believe that to be a scam," said Ocala Police Spokesperson Sgt. Russ Kern. One neighbor said that while she personally had not been questioned by the impostors, she believes her friend was, and gave them personal information. "They asked her all kinds of personal information, where she worked, how long she had been off from work, they asked for her routing numbers off her checks, and she gave them all that information," said Gwendolyn King. "It's just a shame that people out here (are) doing that kind of thing." Others say the scam operation is particularly disturbing given the tragedy and destruction which gave it life. "It's these times like this when, you know, people should bond together," said Roosevelt Osborne. "And, you expect that they be bonding together, but then you got people out there, you know, pulling little scams like that." Courtesy of: http://www.wcjb.com/news.asp?id=10583 |