In case there are still those who believe identity theft only happens to people with little or no financial acumen when it comes to matters of money, a report never publicly revealed until now shows that anyone – even someone believed to have saved the global economy from financial disaster – can be a victim of identity theft.
According to an exclusive story from Newsweek, Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke – the nation's chief banker and the man credited by some, including Newsweek, with saving the world from another Great Depression – was just one of the hundreds of victims of a sophisticated identity theft ring that stole over $2 million from consumers and financial institutions across the country, according to recently filed court records.
As reported by Newsweek, in the summer of 2008, just before the Wall Street market meltdown began, Bernanke and his wife faced a financial crisis of their own when they were swindled in by an identity theft ring after Bernanke 's wife's purse containing the couple's joint check book was stolen and their family bank account was looted of cash.
An identity theft investigation by the Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service ended recently with the arrests of members of a nationwide identity theft ring known as "Cannon to the Wiz" that used a combination of old-school pickpocketing ("cannon" is slang for pickpocket) and high-tech identity theft to steal money from unsuspecting victims, Newsweek reported.
"Identity theft is a serious crime that affects millions of Americans each year," Bernanke said in a statement provided to Newsweek. "Our family was but one of 500 separate instances traced to one crime ring."
The fact that the nation's chief banker and leading voice on the country's finances was a victim should prove, once and for all, that identity theft can happen to anyone.
To help prevent identity theft, MyBackgroundCheck.com – a leading supplier of consumer requested and applicant supplied background checks – offers "personal" background checks for individuals who want to know and protect their personal information. To learn more about "personal" background checks, visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 1-800-503-2364. To follow MyBackgroundCheck.com on Twitter, visit www.twitter.com/MyBackgroundChk.
tahearn@mybackgroundcheck.com
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