A Georgia couple has been arrested and charged in Franklin Springs, Ga. in connection with an identity theft case that touched down in at least five states.
Travounce Maurice Williams ad Yulanda Michelle Everett were arrested Sept. 6 after they tried to pass a fraudulent check in a Maxway store. When clerks became suspicious, they called police.
A check on the license plate of the couple’s Jaguar produced a red flag.
“The plates came back as, ‘when dealing with these subjects use caution,’ ” said Franklin Springs Police Chief Dennis Bell.
Officers found there were two active warrants against the couple in Washington, N.C. for financial card theft and identity theft. This led officers to secure search warrants on the car and on the couple’s room at the Toccoa Motel in Toccoa, Ga., where the couple had been staying.
After the searches were complete, officers confiscated hundreds of blank checks, a computer, printer and an unspecified number of victims’ account numbers. The checks found were from North Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.
Although the police aren’t sure at this point how Williams and Everett secured the numbers, but speculation is that they stood behind victims in line at stores and took pictures of checks and credit cards, or typed the numbers in their cell phones.
Investigators say the case is ongoing.
When you are standing in line at a store, be sure to cover your information if you write a check. If you use a credit or debit card, shield the screen as you type in your PIN number. You should also be sure to cover your card so that no one can see the number on it.
Be aware of your surroundings, and pay close attention to anyone paying attention to you. If you suspect that someone is trying to retrieve your personal information, simply move to another line. If this is not possible, ask a store clerk or manager for assistance.
By being extra cautions and keeping a watchful eye on what’s going on around you, you can prevent the heartache of identity theft. It pays to be careful.
