A Chicago gas company was cheated out of more than $500,000 by two women who used stolen information to fraudulently set up utilities for hundreds of residents.
Peoples Gas representatives say they aren’t sure just how much money was taken, although they estimate it was at least more than a half million dollars. The fraudulent accounts involved charges for gas service, and nobody paid the bills.
Artestine Ramey, Chicago, stole the identities of senior citizens, nursing home residents and disabled people to establish gas service from Peoples for individuals who either had poor credit or owed the utility money.
Ramey, 61, has been charged with one count of theft. Jessica Washington, 24, was also arrested and charged with one count of forgery and one count of aggravated identity theft.
The utility company became aware of the theft when an employee noticed that more than 1,000 service calls were coming from the same number Ramey allegedly handled all service appointments and account changes for residents who paid her roughly $150 to set up natural gas service using a stolen identity.
A Peoples representative said the company won’t know the full extent of the damage until the investigation is complete, but they do expect more fraudulently established accounts to be discovered.
The Illinois State Attorney’s Office released a statement that stated Ramey likely used the same scheme to establish electrical service, and an investigation is being conducted.
