Last week provided Park Slopers with an object lesson in why they need to guard their personal papers as three people reported identity thefts that resulted in losses of thousands of dollars, cops said.
One man, a 44-year-old resident of Eighth Street, told cops that Sprint reported that an account had been opened in his name. Almost $600 had been rung up before the theft was noticed, cops said. Sprint said the man’s Social Security number had been used to open the account.
Another man told 78th Precinct cops that he didn’t notice what was going on in his name until he started applying for jobs. At that point, he discovered that two bank accounts had been opened in his name, two credit cards had been accepting charges and $3,000 had been withdrawn from a bank.
The Union Street man said he’s hired a lawyer and is trying to clear his name.
And another resident of Union Street told cops that someone withdrew close to $5,000 from Commerce Bank with her business account check card, even though the card itself never left her possession.
