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Identity theft hit a Weston resident last week, leaving a $230,000 hole in the victim's bank account.
Weston police report that the thief opened a PayPal account in August, 2010, using the victim's personal information. It wasn't until this month that the suspect began withdrawing money. After six withdrawals, the bank suspected foul play and contacted authorities.
The money is insured, and the victim will not lose the total sum stolen, police report. The bank will likely take the loss.
Because of the high amount, the Secret Service is investigating the fraud, but Weston Police are tackling the identity theft.
Another Weston resident was the victim of a similar crime on Jan. 22. Weston police reported that someone attempted to open a Nordstrom's account on Long Island, and the store contacted Chase bank to verify the person's information. The Nordstroms account was never opened, but when the bank alerted the account owner, it became apparent that two transactions siphoned nearly $7,000 from the victim's bank account.
Weston police advise residents to use credit alerts, check bank accounts often and periodically review credit reports to ensure the safety of your identity. There are also for-profit services such as Identity Guard and LifeLock that monitor your credit activity 24/7.
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