Fact: Identity theft is real and it’s happening in Elgin
Fact: Illegal aliens who use your ID to get a job can do serious damage to your credit history and create a tax liability for you.
Recent case #1
Addison man working in Elgin charged with ID theft
By Lenore T. Adkins Daily Herald Staff
Published: 4/30/2009
A Mexican-born Addison man used a stolen Social Security number to live his version of the American dream, making more than $80,000 in nearly three years, police said.
Felix Aguilar, 43, of the first block of West Diversey Avenue, was arrested Wednesday and charged with identity theft, a Class 2 felony that carries up to seven years in prison upon conviction, authorities said.
(Note: AFLA has tracked a total of eight cases of identity theft in the last two years where the accused worked at Sanfilippo according to the police report in the newspaper.)
Recent case #2
C'ville man charged with making $107,000 with another's identity
By Kerry Lester Daily Herald Staff
Published: 4/28/2009 5:29 PM
A Carpentersville man has been charged with stealing another man's identity and making a pretty good buck with it.
Abelardo Saldivar, of 820 Monroe Ave., Carpentersville, was arrested Monday on a Class X felony count of identify theft that could land him six to 30 years in prison if convicted.
According to Elgin police reports, Saldivar worked at Amtec Precision Products for three years using another man's name, Social Security number and birth date.
Recent case #3
Police: Elgin woman used false identity for nearly a decade
By Kerry Lester Daily Herald Staff
Published: 5/7/2009 4:35 PM
An Elgin woman has been accused of profiting off another's identity for the past decade.
Griselda Alvarez, 40, of the 400 block of Sadler Avenue, was arrested Wednesday.
According to police reports, a woman who resides in Texas filed a report on April 21 with Elgin police that someone was using her personal identity.
The woman said that in 1999 she lost her purse, which contained both her Social Security card and birth certificate.
In 2006 the woman was notified that someone had used her identity at Amtec Precision Products in Elgin.
So, what’s an employer to do? Well, I was at a business seminar on Thursday and learned that Immigration has a program for businesses of all sizes called IMAGE. (Don’t you love government acronyms?)
IMAGE stands for ICE Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers. The program includes using E-Verify (which is legal to use and is over 99% accurate), auditing the I-9 forms on file, establishing a tip line for people to report illegal aliens to your company, and instructions on reporting funny business to the government so they can take action.
I also learned a couple of things citizens can do:
First, report suspicious activity to ICE at 1-866-347-2423.
Second, if you think someone else is using your identity, be sure to contact your local police and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC is the clearinghouse for all the data on identity theft and ICE always checks their database to make connections you might not even know about.
So, AFLA recommends that Elgin businesses enroll in the IMAGE program and that the general public report identity theft crimes.
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Great information on the Image program! How crooked do you gotta be NOT to work with OUR federal government to enforce ALL the laws!These corrupt pols and cops should be prosecuted under RICO laws. We have been shouting out the DHS number for awhile. After reporting DOCUMENT your contact and record same. We can win this one and save$$$$$ to boot.
ReplyDeleteFunny you should mention RICO. It is another tool that can be used to prosecute employers who knowingly hire illegals.
ReplyDeleteAnd, you can use the IRS as well as the Inspector General of Social Security to go after these crooks.
It wouldn't take many of those cases to wake up the business owners.
The phone for ICE is 1-866-347-2423! Afla is correct that the employers of illegal aliens are facing renewed interest. A part of Pres. Obama's border program is a more enforcement against the the CROOKED employers who exploit illegals. A news release yesterday pegged at 20 BILLION the amount that crooked employers scam me,you the workers,government[services and taxes}. It amazes us that HONEST citizens continue to allow this. DO YOU SUSPECT or know of a criminal exploiting illegals? Call 866.347.2423 and help yourself and the illegals out. Let's win this one and save our nation.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the US Supreme Court's recent ruling that identity theft is not committed simply by using someone else's social security number to work unless the prosecutor can show that the defendant knew the number belonged to someone. Simply using a random number to work is certainly a civil violation of the immigration laws, but it is not the crime of identity theft.
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