Identity Thieves SUCK!

Ok - that isn't very nice I know but if you have ever had your identity stolen you would understand and forgive the language. I am very upset with no one home today to talk to - I am going to write about my experience - maybe I will feel better. So going back to 1994, I was just married and working for a telephone answering center for American Airlines. Somehow that year I lost my purse. When I say lost, well, I am not really sure what happened to it. I might have left it somewhere, or someone stole it. I didn't really notice (no money, no credit cards, no cell phone) no big deal right..... WRONG!

5 years pass by and I totally forgot about the lost purse until one of the worse days of my life happened. I had just had Kaitlyn and left her for a short time to run to a small town called Springtown to do 1 inspection on a commercial jobsite. I was speeding to get to the job and then get home to my new baby and I got pulled over right as I pulled up to the job site. Normally, I didn't flash the info that I worked for the city to the police, but this time thankfully I did. The officer came back to my car after a few minutes to let me know there might be an issue. It seems that there was a warrant for my arrest in Dallas, he was trying to get more info and to verify. I explained that I had never received a ticket in Dallas - there was no possible way I would have a warrant. He kindly asked me to wait just a few more minutes (like I had a choice). When he came back to my car he said that the warrant was confirmed and that the warrant was for writing bad checks. I began to cry (like crazy) this was all wrong - I've never written a check in Dallas - I have a Warrant. I was to overwhelmed to realize at the time - how nervous the police officer was - I had identified myself as working for the city - the Mayor was not going to be happy. So, he asked me if I would very slowly drive the 2 miles around to the city hall (this is a verrrry tiny town) and that he would escort me thru the back door so no one would see us (like I cared - I didn't dooo anything wrong). I composed myself the best I could and drove to city hall. When we entered the back door I saw my worst nightmare........the tiny cell that had to be no bigger than 5ft wide x 5ft wide the bars ran all the way to the ceiling. I lost my composure again. At the same time the Mayor came running in yelling at the police officer that he HAD to be WRONG and that he MUST fix this issue right away! He took my arm and told the police chief that we were going to his office and that we would be in there until they resolved this issue.

What I learned that day was 1. you are guilty until your time in court 2. very small towns do not normally bond people thru they send you to the nearest county prison to post bond 3. people are very kind when they live in a small town and need their inspector to inspect a building.

There was nothing the police could do to help me, they normally did not bond people out in this town but would make an exception for me. I had to post $400.00, which of course I did not have. My father would have had the money but he was an expert witness in court and could not get away. My luck came when the Contractor came into the city hall looking for his inspector - when the Mayor explained my situation - he was very happy to help me out. He loaned me the money to post bail and I was able to do the inspection for him.

What I learned later was that someone had taken my licence and used my name, using another victims blank checks, filled in all my info as if they were me and wrote 10 checks in my name. Dallas had 2 checks - when I went to court it was confusing to the judge and he postponed my hearing for the bank to come in and also to prove that the handwriting was not mine. The person who wrote the checks wrote the word "Dollards" truthfully that made me even madder - they stole my name and made me look like an idiot! I was found not guilty.

2 years later - City of Fort Worth had 3 more warrants for my use of bad checks - I had to keep a bail bonds man on retainer so that when these things popped up I could post bail. It was humiliating, frustrating, and crazy. I tried to get my drivers licence number changed - they wouldn't help me - I could no longer write checks because companies like telecheck had me listed as BAD!

Now its been sooo many years later and I keep thinking its behind me - then this morning came and I realized it isn't over. I have been applying for jobs lately because my current one isn't making enough money, I am on contract and the work isn't stead. I interviewed with the City of Rosenberg and was so excited about the opportunity it looks like it would be a great place to work. This morning I received a phone call from them the police lieutenant wants to meet with me tomorrow regarding some "issues" that came up on my criminal background check. I will have to go in and explain one more time that I didn't write bad checks and that I was found NOT guilty. Its just not right!

Ok - pity party over - I have dishes to wash.

Identity Thieves SUCK!