Crime & Safety
Identity Theft Scam Ensnares Avon Lake Man
Someone used the man's identity to open a cell phone account in Texas and then buy two new phones.
AVON LAKE, OH — More than $2,000 was stolen from an Avon Lake resident as part of an identity theft scam.
On Valentine's Day, a 27-year-old Avon Lake man came to police and said he discovered someone had opened a cell phone account in his name in Texas and then purchased two cell phones, worth more than $2,000 combined.
The account had actually been opened on Sept. 18, 2018, according to police. The resident became aware of the scam because whoever stole his identity had failed to pay for the phones. That failure to pay tanked the man's credit score.
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The resident is in the process of opening his own business and when he went to take out a loan, he was denied the loan because of his low credit score. He then discovered the cell phone scam.
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To restore his credit score, and his status with the cell phone company, the man had to file a police report.
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