And now for some identity theft news from the East Coast: a ring of would-be identity thieves was busted targeting customers of Saks Fifth Avenue’s flagship store in New York. At least eight people were involved in the scheme, including four of Saks’ own employees. The high-end retailer reported that the ID theft ring funneled stolen personal data (from credit card info to social security numbers) to manifest fraudulent transactions to illegally purchase over $400,000 worth of merchandise.
The thieves spent that exorbitant amount of cash on top-quality handbags, expensive accessories, and designer shoes. Authorities say that the thieves stole information from roughly 50 customers, whose information was used to buy the items and then resell them on the black market. Tamara Williams is being named the ringleader of the thieves, as she was responsible for acquiring the customers’ data and giving it to the Saks’ sales associates who were part of the ring. Williams told the inside agents to get items from luxury brand names, like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Givenchy.
In total, the thieves bought more than 90 luxury items over a 6-month period, paying for them by manually entering the credit card information stolen from innocent customers. Saks’ security team eventually discovered the ID theft ring and alerted authorities. The U.S. Secret Service and Homeland Security investigators were involved in the process of shutting down the ring. Williams and her accomplices now face a multitude of criminal charges, including identity theft and grand larceny.
Photo credit: NY Daily News