Philadelphia Casanova Leads Identity Theft Ring
A Philadelphia man is accused of using his romantic skills to take advantage of bank tellers at various Philadelphia Banks. Miguel Bell is being accused of having affairs with many female bank tellers in order to convince them to slip him customer information. He then uses this information to apply for drivers licenses and make fake checks.
Bell and his organization compromised dozens of accounts at eight different banks. One Citizens Bank teller gave out 37 customer’s private information allowing Bell’s organization to steal an estimated $390,000 according to the indictment.
Bell’s organization would use the information to apply for Drivers Licenses and make bogus checks. They would then hire check runners to go and cash the checks for a cut of the money. The check runners were typically drug addicts who didn’t mind making some easy money. Hiring the check runners makes it harder to catch the identity thief because they are never the ones trying to cash the fake checks.
The alleged ID theft ring is believed to have stolen $1.3 million in all. It’s a scary thing when you find out that the thieves received your information from the people who are paid to protect it. Given out freely by employees of the companies that store your information and money. The bank tellers must not of been very honest people to begin with if they would volunteer such information. Perhaps he did something that forced them to give him information! We will have to wait for the trial to see.
