Maryland Identity Theft - Luxury Cars Bought from MD Dealership on Stolen Identity
New developments in technology allow people to make purchases from miles away with their social security number and credit card information. However, while this makes buying products simpler, it also provides easy access for hackers to steal private data. Practicing law in a metropolitan city where many individuals store confidential information on their computer, it is common for an experienced Maryland criminal lawyer to represent defendants accused of stealing personal information. A recent example appeared in Maryland when law enforcement officials began searching for a local woman suspected of purchasing luxury cars with stolen credit card and social security numbers.
According to Montgomery County Police, Somsook McCollum, 37, managed to secure the social security number of a woman states away on the computer, even pulling up the victim's entire credit card report. Allegedly, she used this information in December 2009 to obtain false identification documents and buy three luxury cars from Montgomery County dealerships. Using the woman's identity, McCollum supposedly purchased an Audi, Mercedes Benz, and Range Rover, and opened new credit card accounts in the victim's name.
While law enforcement officials recovered all three vehicles, police have been unable to locate McCollum. Prosecutors issued a warrant for her arrest on various charges including identity theft, bank fraud, auto theft, and eight counts of possession of false government documents. Detective Nichols maintains that the punishment she faces if convicted will likely be severe. "In terms of the combination of auto theft, as well as identity theft, and this type of combination, it's a big crime. It's upwards, close to 500-thousand dollar range total. So it's a very large crime," he said.
As seen by the example of Somsook McCollum, the scope of identity theft crimes can be extensive, and often involve substantial amounts of money. Conviction of these criminal charges have the power to change lives permanently, not only ruining reputations but very likely resulting in jail time. Therefore, it is essential to retain the best legal advice and legal representation to devise the highest quality defense for your case. This can be done by contacting a trustworthy and aggressive Maryland criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible.
