Identity thief disguised as ‘traditional mom’ accused of fraudulent South Sound shopping spree
ID thief goes on shopping sprees with victim's cards
The Thurston County Sheriff's Office says the woman was captured on security video, using the victim's information to make thousands of dollars in purchases with cloned credit cards.
OLYMPIA, Wash. - A South Sound woman is hoping you can help catch an identity thief who turned her life upside down.
The Thurston County Sheriff's Office (TCSO) says the woman was captured on security video using the victim's information to make thousands of dollars in purchases.
"I kept a binder of all the things she’s done here," said Julie McReynolds, the theft victim. She says the woman started making purchases with her information on Feb. 12.
"I’ve kept stuff, of all the places I’ve contracted, to lock stuff down," said McReynolds. "I would say the first week definitely was pretty nightmarish."
She says the woman went on a three-day shopping spree after stealing her identity. McReynolds first noticed that something was wrong when she started getting strange email notifications.
"A specific store wanted me to take a survey for a recent shopping experience I had. I haven’t been to that store in a year. I went to look at my account online, and sure enough, there was a charge for over $1,000," said McReynolds.
Other emails soon came in, indicating that other accounts were being used. She reported the fraud and froze her accounts, then contacted the TCSO.
"She was using a fake ID to look up my account numbers to charge these things to me," said McReynolds.
The woman is accused of running up more than $6,000 in charges over three days in stores in Lacey, the Capital Mall area in Olympia, the Tacoma Mall area and in Puyallup.
"The vulnerability is the hardest part," said McReynolds.
McReynolds doesn't know how the woman got her information since she didn't have any credit cards stolen. She suspects that she may have gotten it through a data breach.
"I have friends who think she looks like a traditional mom, just a mom out there doing her shopping," said McReynolds.
She hopes someone can help to bring the woman to justice.
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"It’s a very violating feeling, and I know it happens all the time, but I want her caught before she can hurt more people," said McReynolds.
McReynolds suggests that you purchase an identity protection service like LifeLock or IDShield to protect yourself in the event your identity is stolen. If you are a victim of identity theft, you can freeze your accounts until you need them.
If you know who the woman in the photo is, you are asked to contact the Thurston County Sheriff's Office.