One simple mistake can cost you.

I used to laugh at these ads.. and as I stated in a previous post, thought my identity was so bad no-one would want to steal it.

Over two months have passed since the incident. The weeks Prior to my fortieth year on this earth. The scariest, most exposing, and most foolish episode of my adult life. Police reports were filed. A day off work to get the paperwork filled out, and obtain a new drivers license.

Then I relaxed a little. All the stolen money was credited to my account, The suspect that took my wallet was arrested while attempting to use my debit card (which was recovered) and we )me and the other four victims) were called to testify at his hearing. Which never happened. He pleaded out and attended drug court. Six weeks of court and proving his sobriety. Thing is, he is not a drug addict. He was found with marjuana on his person, which is a drug. Just not the kind of drug that tends to make someone commit crimes. One scary thing I learned at the courthouse, from another victim, was that the suspects girlfriend looks an awful lot like me.

Life went back to normal....or so I thought.

Then I see on my credit report ( which I now scutinize monthly) a charge account for a department store. The credit account was denied, but showed as an inquiry. Here is the twist. I didnt apply.

A week later, I received a phone call. It was the credit union account where my car loan is held. I had opened a savings account in order to get the loan and had not used it in so many years. However the CU was calling about the large check I had cashed on the account. Another twist. I didnt cash a check on that account.

I filled out more paperwork, more police reports, this time, the report was filed against me. By the credit union, MY credit union. It was up to me to prove myself innocent. easy enough. I am not a criminal.

Then, another check. Credit union drive-up window video, and my signature were under scrutiny.
I was visited at work by a detective, who was 90% sure that I was writing bad checks, bad checks which now totalled over $3000. He showed me pictures from the video. It was like looking into a mirror- well almost. I could tell that it was not me in the pictures. I knew it was not my car. I knew it was not my signature on the check copies that he showed to me. But fear gripped at me, I began to sweat when I realized that if I were him, looking at the file in front of us. If I were him, standing there talking to me. I would be convinced that I had committed those crimes. It was so crazy scary that it was dibilitating.

I have been through the horror, the terror of having my wallet taken from my own car. I felt like a fool for letting him in long enough to do it. I felt exposed and threatened when my accounts were hit and someone knew all about where my accounts were and how to access them.
But nothing in this world put fear in me more than thinking that I was about to be taken into custody, jailed in front of all my co-workers because someone was becoming me and committing crimes using my persona.

About an hour later, he left my office. He left instruction that I should be looking for the vehicle in the photos. That he was less sure that it was me in the photos and I should be cautious. He was sure that this was far from over and that they would be trying to get more and more information on me. Trying to take my mail, my trash. 'They' would know where I lived because it is on my license. Once again, I felt terrified and exposed. Scared for my girls who would be home alone sometimes.

With that.. he left.

I cried! I broke down there and then, in front of my coworkers, boss, friends. I was so scared.
About an hour later he was back. I did not want to see him. I was so scared of the detective. But, he came back with somewhat good news.... he had been driving near my place of employment and saw the vehicle... the one in the photos, the one used in the crimes. He didnt give many details and based on the face that he had come back alone, he had no one in custody. But he was less convinced that I was the suspect.

The next day a woman from the credit union called. I had been cleared. the money was credited back to my account.
Once again I felt relief. Until I picked up the mail. A warehouse sore membership I had let lapse was reopened and checks for over $800 had been spent there.
More police reports... more fear.
As of today I have so many police reports open, so many bad checks written in my name on bogus accounts... will this ever end?
I am certainly more cautious, I am certainly just as scared as the day it was taken.
I want this to end.
It is not funny!