Michael LaForgia reports that the FBI has busted an ID theft ring based in Palm Beach County, Florida. Seven arrests have been made.
In June and July, the ring made 32 fake IDs using information stolen from people in Florida, California and other states and showed agents a list of 110 real identities to choose from, [FBI Special Agent Waldo J] Longa said.
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During the investigation, a confidential FBI source and undercover agents convinced the fake ID ring they needed documents to take out fraudulent loans in other people’s names, Longa said.
In a series of meetings between June 14 and July 15, FBI agents paid Mercado and Bell a total of $27,750 for fake IDs.
In one instance, Mercado told an FBI agent he worked with a hacker who stole people’s bank account passwords and personal identification numbers for cash machines, and added that he had personal information for 2,700 people that he could use to steal identities.
Source: Sun-Sentinel.com