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Last updateFri, 02 Jan 2015 5pm
Deli Ocho

US Consulate discloses spate of identity thefts

American citizen Alejandro Garcia got the “shock of his life” after applying for a passport for the first time at the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara in August.

“I had presented all the documents and paid the fees when they called me back and asked me if I had ever had a passport before,” said the 44-year-old Californian, a resident of Guadalajara for the past eight years. 

“To my surprise they told me somebody had already applied for my passport.”

Garcia said the realization that his identity had been compromised was “a big wake up call.”

What followed was a “stressful” three-month ordeal during which he was obliged to gather additional information to prove who he was.

Garcia’s case is by no means unique.

Since August, staff at the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara have noticed at least 14 cases of identity theft of citizens applying for, or renewing, their passports.

“It’s a widespread problem,” said Michael Harvey, Fraud Prevention Unit manager at the consulate.  “But we suddenly have a spate right here.”

Identity theft happens when someone steals another’s personal information and uses it without their permission.  It’s a crime that can wreak havoc with finances, credit history and, often, a person’s reputation. Although a physical passport is nowadays very sophisticated and difficult to counterfeit, Harvey acknowledged that identity thieves can “accumulate enough evidence” to present themselves convincingly as the applicant.

Consulate officials stress that the key to not becoming a victim of identity theft is protecting one’s documents.

“What’s really important is to keep your social security number close to your chest,” said Consular Chief Mark Seibel. “There are only a few times when you really need to give out that information to anyone else. I would avoid giving it out unless absolutely necessary.”

Harvey said the impostor who used Garcia’s identity “had access to the birth dates of his parents and his social security information.”

When shown the photograph of the impostor who stole his identity, Garcia said he thought he might have recognized him.

“I can’t be sure but he looks like someone I met when I was about 15 years old.”

It’s not uncommon for identity thieves to be known to their victims, Harvey said. “They might be old school mates looking for a way to stay in the country. They often can be people fairly close, not complete strangers.”

Seibel said many thieves will “start small,” obtaining IDs such as library cards or driving licenses to begin the process of compromising an identity.  Many people now use shredding machines to destroy out-of-date documents and receipts containing personal data, he noted.

He also warned that many unsuspecting people are prey to online phishing scams that entice them to give out their social security numbers.

According to Harvey, the recent spate of cases noted at the Guadalajara Consulate is likely to be “a coincidence,” noting that “thousands of Americans” are affected each year by the crime.

Garcia, who has lived half his life in Mexico and half in the United States, partially blames himself for the situation he found himself in.

“I think I am responsible because I didn’t keep my documents in order. These things can happen to us if we neglect our U.S. citizenship.  If we do not show up frequently, have fewer records or don’t apply for credit, it’s easier for people to have access to our information.”

Harvey said that while “everybody is vulnerable to identity theft,” many American expats living here may be less exposed because they have “a lifetime trail of passports, records and photographs, which would quickly detect any fraud.”

On Wednesday of this week, Garcia went to the Consulate to pick up his U.S. passport, which he received personally from U.S. Consul General Susan Abeyta.   Officers from the fraud unit gave him a pamphlet explaining the steps he would be wise to take to ensure that his creditworthiness had not been compromised.

“They treated me very well and it turned out okay in the end,” Garcia said. “But I would not want to go through all that again.”

For more information on identity theft go to www.consumer.ftc.gov.