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Identity theft

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Holiday Deals Or Fraud? IRS Issues Warning For These Scams Holiday Deals Or Fraud? IRS Issues Warning For These Scams
Holiday Deals Or Fraud? IRS Issues Warning For These Scams As the holiday shopping season begins, the IRS reminds everyone that it’s not just your credit card balance you need to watch — it’s also your personal information. As part of its ninth annual National Tax Security Awareness Week, the IRS is warning taxpayers about a rise in holiday scams.  The scammers aren’t interested in gifts under your tree; they’re after your Social Security number and financial information instead. Here’s how scammers are getting creative—and how you can stay safe: Phishing Emails: Be wary of emails pretending to be from reputable retailers, shipping companie…

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by Joe Lombardi
Lifestyle
These DMV Cities Are Among Safest In US: New Ranking These DMV Cities Are Among Safest In US: New Ranking
These DMV Cities Are Among Safest In US: New Ranking Some neighborhoods in the DMV region rank among the safest in the United States, according to a newly released report from WalletHub.  Two from Virginia were in the top 10 in the new ranking, with the state boasting five overall, joining two from Maryland and the District of Columbia as the safest cities in America in 2024.  In making their rankings, WalletHub evaluated a variety of "threats to safety," including the possibility of natural disasters, mass shootings, traffic accidents, and other dangers.  “When people think about safety in a city, their minds probably immedia…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Anne Arundel County Man, Florida Woman Passing Bad Checks In VA County Tracked Down: Sheriff Anne Arundel County Man, Florida Woman Passing Bad Checks In VA County Tracked Down: Sheriff
Anne Arundel County Man, Florida Woman Passing Bad Checks In VA County Tracked Down: Sheriff Two suspects visiting Virginia from out of state are facing felony charges following an investigation into a series of bad checks that were used at several Stafford County businesses, officials say. Pasadena Raymond Wilson, 36, and 20-year-old Florida resident Jessie Mainville were both arrested this week after their checks bounced - and not for the first time. At around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25, deputies from the Stafford County Sheriff's Office were called to O'Reilly Auto Parts on Bojangles way, where there was a report of fraud suspects in the business. "Staff advised a male a…

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by Zak Failla
News
Courier Involved In Gold Bar Scam Targeting Maryland Elder Arrested Boarding Flight To Ireland Courier Involved In Gold Bar Scam Targeting Maryland Elder Arrested Boarding Flight To Ireland
Courier Involved In Gold Bar Scam Targeting Maryland Elder Arrested Boarding Flight To Ireland A 23-year-old man from Illinois has become the second apprehended for his role in a government-imposter-related gold bar scam targeting a Montgomery County resident. Neel Patel, of Carol Stream, joined California native Wenhui Sun behind bars after a woman was bilked out of hundreds of thousands of dollars as part of the scheme, according to police. In March, a woman advised investigators that she had been contacted by a fraudster alleging to be with  Office of the Inspector General – Federal Trade Commission. She was instructed that she was the victim of identity theft that laun…

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by Zak Failla
News
Husband, Wife Bilk Elderly Maryland Woman Out Of $1M During 'Complex ID, Fraud Scheme:' Sheriff Husband, Wife Bilk Elderly Maryland Woman Out Of $1M During 'Complex ID, Fraud Scheme:' Sheriff
Husband, Wife Bilk Elderly Maryland Woman Out Of $1M During 'Complex ID, Fraud Scheme:' Sheriff An elderly woman was robbed of more than $1 million after being targeted as part of "a complex identity theft and fraud scheme," according to the Harford County Sheriff's Office. Devalkumar Harshadkumar Vyas and wife Mamata D. Vyas - who were arrested for a similar scheme in New York last month - preyed on a 73-year-old woman who was convinced to make bitcoin and gold purchases that they then took over the course of a five-week period. In June, investigators say that the woman received an unsolicited email from erickressman@tuta.io, purportedly from Eric Kressman of the Office of the I…

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by Zak Failla
News
Pastor Who Arranged Sham Marriages Between Church Members, Foreign Nationals In MD Sentenced Pastor Who Arranged Sham Marriages Between Church Members, Foreign Nationals In MD Sentenced
Pastor Who Arranged Sham Marriages Between Church Members, Foreign Nationals In MD Sentenced The Maryland pastor who arranged dozens of sham marriages to recruit church members down on their luck to marry foreign nationals will spend more than a year in federal prison for perpetrating the scheme, officials say. Bowie resident Joshua Shonubi was sentenced this week to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to charges that include conspiracy to commit visa and marriage fraud. Prosecutors say that Shonubi, who was a paster at New Life City Church, "used his position of trust" to help further the scam, facilitating more than 60 fraudulent marriages and submitting "well over" 10…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Gold-Bar Scam Totaling Nearly $1 Million Lands CA Man With Charges In Montgomery County: Police Gold-Bar Scam Totaling Nearly $1 Million Lands CA Man With Charges In Montgomery County: Police
Gold-Bar Scam Totaling Nearly $1 Million Lands CA Man With Charges In Montgomery County: Police A man who made nearly $1 million targeting elderly victims in a gold-bar scam was arrested in Montgomery County, authorities announced Friday, March 22. The investigation began in early March, when a victim reported being contacted by a man who identified himself a member of the Federal Trade Commission, MCPD said. The woman was advised that she had been the victim of an identity theft leading to a federal investigation involving drugs and money laundering.  She had been instructed to transfer all of her assets into gold bars to be picked up by a courier to be taken to an “FBI Agent” …

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by Valerie Musson
News
Bank Employee Used Position To Facilitate Elaborate Fraud Scheme, Prosecutors Say Bank Employee Used Position To Facilitate Elaborate Fraud Scheme, Prosecutors Say
Bank Employee Used Position To Facilitate Elaborate Fraud Scheme, Prosecutors Say A former bank employee from Maryland was convicted of using his position to facilitate an elaborate fraud scheme, prosecutors announced Tuesday, Feb. 20. Jalen Craig McMillan, 30, of Jessup, was convicted by a federal jury for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft on Friday, Feb. 16, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron said. Prosecutors laid out evidence during McMillan’s four-day trial of his intent to use his position as a “Member Service Representative” at a federal credit union to open accounts and loan transactions in t…

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by Daily Voice
News
Maryland Scammers Accused Of Stealing $5M In Checks From The Mail: Feds Maryland Scammers Accused Of Stealing $5M In Checks From The Mail: Feds
Maryland Scammers Accused Of Stealing $5M In Checks From The Mail: Feds A group of five from Maryland has been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection to an alleged multi-million dollar stolen check scam in the region. On Monday, authorities announced that five people - all from Prince George's County - will face charges for a fraud scheme that saw them take more than 600 checks with a face value greater than $5 million. Those charged:  Tianna "Mendoza" Cosby, 23, of Upper Marlboro; Marche Sisco, 26, of Suitland; Tommi Cosby, 21, of District Heights; Biniah Carter, 24, of Upper Marlboro; Zion Oluwademilade Adeduqon, 22, of Bowie. Tianna Cosby and …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Maryland Fraudsters Hit With 65 Charges Following Bust At Virginia Apple Store: Police Maryland Fraudsters Hit With 65 Charges Following Bust At Virginia Apple Store: Police
Maryland Fraudsters Hit With 65 Charges Following Bust At Virginia Apple Store: Police A group of fraudsters from Maryland tried their luck one too many times and found themselves behind bars, unable to enjoy the fruits of their ill-gotten gains in Fairfax County.  On Friday, the Fairfax County Police Department announced that three people have been hit with a total of 65 criminal charges after finally being busted attempting to use stolen credit cards at the Apple Store in Tysons Corner. Those charged:  Jose Angel Santos, 20, of Hyattsville; Juan Jose Ruiz Leiva, 21, of Riverdale; Genesis Flores Caceres, 18, of Hyattsville. Earlier this week, detectives were aler…

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by Zak Failla
News
Maryland Banker Convicted Of Stealing Nearly $2M From Churches, Religious Institutions: Feds Maryland Banker Convicted Of Stealing Nearly $2M From Churches, Religious Institutions: Feds
Maryland Banker Convicted Of Stealing Nearly $2M From Churches, Religious Institutions: Feds A 29-year-old Maryland man has been convicted of a bank fraud scheme that saw him and his co-conspirators profit to the tune of nearly $2 million, authorities announced. Diape Seck was found guilty after he was accused of the extensive scheme he helped run from 2019 until 2020, according to the Department of Justice. According to the evidence, Seck, along with at least eight other people, stole nearly $2 million by pocketing checks from the mail of churches and religious institutions from at least Jan. 2019 thorough Jan. 2020. A customer service representative with one of the banks, Seck c…

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by Annie DeVoe
News
Police Say This Man Attempted To Steal $130K From Fort Washington Bank Police Say This Man Attempted To Steal $130K From Fort Washington Bank
Police Say This Man Attempted To Steal $130K From Fort Washington Bank A mystery man posing as a customer at a Fort Washington bank is wanted after trying to steal a massive amount of cash from an account, police say. Prince George's County police officers released images of the man they say tried to steal $130,000 from an account at the bank located in the 10000 block of Indian Head Highway, on Nov. 22, 2022.  The man used a fake ID to convince an employee to transfer the amount from the victim's account to another account outside of the bank. Before the suspect was able to withdraw the money, the bank was able to flag the transaction as fraudulent and stopp…

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by Annie DeVoe
News
Widow Who Fell Victim To $39K Romance Scam 'Forgot How Good It Felt To Be Loved' Widow Who Fell Victim To $39K Romance Scam 'Forgot How Good It Felt To Be Loved'
Widow Who Fell Victim To $39K Romance Scam 'Forgot How Good It Felt To Be Loved' After losing her life savings to an internet romance scam, one Pennsylvania senior is speaking out to protect others from falling victim.  Kate Kleinert of Glenolden had been widowed for 12 years and had stopped looking for love when she received a Facebook friend request in August 2020, she wrote to a US Senate committee last year.  The man said he was a doctor named Tony Richard, and quickly struck up a friendship with Kate based on mutual interests, she said.  "We started talking on the phone through an app he had me download," Kate told Senators. "He told me he was …

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by Mac Bullock
News
Maryland Naval Officer Accused Of Cyberstalking, Campaigning To Ruin Ex-Wife's Life: Feds Maryland Naval Officer Accused Of Cyberstalking, Campaigning To Ruin Ex-Wife's Life: Feds
Maryland Naval Officer Accused Of Cyberstalking, Campaigning To Ruin Ex-Wife's Life: Feds A US Naval Officer from Maryland and his housemate are facing years in prison for running an elaborate cyberstalking and bullying campaign to harass his estranged wife, federal officials announced. Montgomery County residents Jason Michael Leidel, 43, an active-duty commissioned officer of the United States Navy and Sarah Elizabeth Sorg, 43, a senior trial attorney for the US Department of Transportation, both of Silver Spring, have been charged for their roles in knowingly bullying the officer’s former wife. The charges against the pair include aggravated identity theft, fraud related to a…

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by Zak Failla
News
DC Man Admits To Impersonating Federal Law Enforcement To Live Rent Free, $1M Bank Fraud Scheme DC Man Admits To Impersonating Federal Law Enforcement To Live Rent Free, $1M Bank Fraud Scheme
DC Man Admits To Impersonating Federal Law Enforcement To Live Rent Free, $1M Bank Fraud Scheme A second man has admitted to impersonating a Department of Homeland Security officer in Washington, DC to run a series of elaborate schemes to live a luxurious lifestyle. District of Columbia resident Haider Ali, 36, admitted this week to charges stemming from a scheme in which he pretended to be a federal law enforcement officer for a range of purposes, the Department of Justice announced. The impersonation scheme allowed Ali to maintain a series of apartments in which he then failed to pay rent, officials said. He also admitted carrying out a bank fraud scheme in which he obtained more …

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by Zak Failla
News
Federal Charges For Four Maryland Men Who Ran A Multi-Million Dollar Email Compromise Scam: DOJ Federal Charges For Four Maryland Men Who Ran A Multi-Million Dollar Email Compromise Scam: DOJ
Federal Charges For Four Maryland Men Who Ran A Multi-Million Dollar Email Compromise Scam: DOJ Four are facing federal charges for running an elaborate email scheme to steal personal information from their victims in Maryland, according to the Department of Justice. A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging four with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft US Attorney Erek Barron announced. Those charged: Raissa Kaossele, 22, of Baltimore; Damilola Ojo, 29, of Pikesville; Victor Ojo, 28, of Edgewood; Jamelia Thompson, 29, of Pikesville. It is alleged that between April 2016 and May 2019, the four executed a “business email compromi…

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by Zak Failla
News
Romanian Thieves 'Bear Hug' Victim At Pennsylvania Sheetz Before Fleeing To Maryland: Police Romanian Thieves 'Bear Hug' Victim At Pennsylvania Sheetz Before Fleeing To Maryland: Police
Romanian Thieves 'Bear Hug' Victim At Pennsylvania Sheetz Before Fleeing To Maryland: Police A Romanian couple in a car from Texas, stole from someone at a Pennsylvania Sheetz, before fleeing and abandoning their vehicle in Maryland, authorities say.  Nicolae Miclescu and Viorica Petra, both 32, approached a victim at the gas pumps at the Sheetz located at 1158 River Road, Marietta at 3:30 p.m. on June 12, according to a release by the Susquehanna Regional police department on July 28.   The pair asked the victim for gas money, blocking him in with a Black Chevrolet Tahoe SUV bearing Texas registration PJX-9926, and then Petre "bear hugged the victim and st…

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by Jillian Pikora
News
Fraudster Resentenced For Stealing IDs Of Hundreds Of Victims In $2.2M Scheme In Maryland Fraudster Resentenced For Stealing IDs Of Hundreds Of Victims In $2.2M Scheme In Maryland
Fraudster Resentenced For Stealing IDs Of Hundreds Of Victims In $2.2M Scheme In Maryland A Columbia man has been sentenced to 126 months in federal prison after two separate schemes to obtain fraudulent tax refunds, authorities say. Toyosi Alatishe, also known as "Felix Victor Johnson", 51, was re-sentenced Tuesday, July 12, after he appealed his 2019 conviction and sentencing. The new sentence reduced the original by six months, and rejected a request for time served. From 2012 to 2013, Alatishe misused his position as a caretaker for residents of a group home for individuals suffering from severe mental and physical disabilities, and used their information to file fraudulent …

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by Annie DeVoe
News
Fired Baltimore PD Employee, Homicide Suspect Facing Federal Fraud Charges Fired Baltimore PD Employee, Homicide Suspect Facing Federal Fraud Charges
Fired Baltimore PD Employee, Homicide Suspect Facing Federal Fraud Charges A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging a fired Baltimore civilian police employee once eyed as a homicide suspect with stealing his defunct business' tax prepare's identity to try to get COVID relief money. Dana Lamar Antonio Hayes, Jr., 37, submitted several bogus Economic Injury Disaster Relief(EIDL) loan applications and several Paycheck Protection Plan(PPP) loan applications to the Small Business Administration and two banks between March 2020 and Oct. 2021, according to the Department of Justice.    Hayes had been fired from his position as the chief of…

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by Annie DeVoe
News
Feds: Twins From Maryland Used Bogus $1M Loans To Trade Crypto, Buy Sports Car Feds: Twins From Maryland Used Bogus $1M Loans To Trade Crypto, Buy Sports Car
Feds: Twins From Maryland Used Bogus $1M Loans To Trade Crypto, Buy Sports Car A pair of twin brothers from Maryland are facing federal charges for fraudulently obtaining $1 million in COVID-19 loans, authorities announced. Jerry and Jaleel Phillips, 24, of Temple Hills, submit bogus Paycheck Protection Program loan applications (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster loan applications (EIDL), and unemployment insurance claims to get the money, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron said. The Phillips brothers created aliases, used the personal identifying information of real people, and used out of business or fake corporate entities to apply…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Man Wanted For Identity Theft In Lehigh Valley, Police Say Man Wanted For Identity Theft In Lehigh Valley, Police Say
Man Wanted For Identity Theft In Lehigh Valley, Police Say Police are seeking the public’s help identifying a man wanted for fraud in the Lehigh Valley area. The man pictured above is a suspect in an identity theft case in Bethlehem, city police said Monday. Anyone with information about the man’s identity is asked to contact Bethlehem Police at 610-865-7000 or email Detective Molony at smolony@bethlehem-pa.gov.

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by Valerie Musson