Identity theft forces S.C. man into nightmare of calls

By JAMIE ROGERS

(Florence) Morning News

FLORENCE – It's bad when you discover your identity has been stolen, it's worse when you've tried to warn your bank, and it's just ugly when the police officer on the case has the suspect's picture on his wall but won't arrest him.

Florence resident James Backus said this is precisely what happened to him in September when someone stole his Social Security number and used it to take $2,300 from his checking account.

He's still dealing with the aftermath and the knowledge that the suspect is on the loose, Backus said.

The peril started when creditors from Discover Card and Bank of America called to verify Backus' opening credit accounts.

"And I said, 'No I didn't sign for no credit card,' and they said, 'Someone is using your name with a different address,"' he said.

At that point, he filed an incident report with a Florence County Sheriff's deputy who suggested Backus also check his credit report and put a fraud alert on his accounts.

"They sent me a copy (of the credit report), and this guy had changed my address and telephone number. (The suspect) lives in Marion. He changed it to his address, with my name," Backus said.

It took him three weeks to correct his address with Equifax, Backus said.

But immediately after Backus changed his address, the suspect hacked into his Equifax account and changed the address back to the Marion address.

"And then he put a password on my credit report to keep me out," Backus said. "I caught the devil trying to get back in my account."

Florence deputies directed him to report the incident to Marion County Sheriff's deputies, who told him it's not a crime for someone to change your address, Backus said.

Days later, Backus' wife told him she'd received a letter from Wachovia Bank.

"She said, 'When did you change our mailing address on our checking account?"' he said. "I said, 'What?' I did not change the mailing address on our checking account."

It was later discovered the culprit called Wachovia Bank with Backus' Social Security number. The bank representative, in turn, released all of Backus' banking information to the culprit, who used it to tamper with the account.

"He even changed my cell phone number to his," Backus said. "He ordered checks and a debit card."

He went to the Marion County Sheriff's office with the information, only to have the investigator on the case tell him he didn't have enough information to arrest the suspect.

"With all this (information), I thought it was a slam dunk," Backus said. "But that ain't the way the police work."

Documents show Wachovia closed Backus' checking account on Sept. 14 to cease all fraudulent activity but allowed legitimate pending transactions to clear.

But Backus said the Wachovia representative accidentally put an incorrect note on the account which caused four his checks to bounce instead of clearing the bank.

To make matters worst, Backus said the erroneous notation made it possible for the suspect to still use his old account number as if it was still active.

On Sept. 22, the suspect went into the supposedly closed Wachovia checking account and used $850 to make a phone payment on a Bank of America credit card.

Two days later, the suspect again used the Wachovia checking account, this time taking $1,500 of Backus' money.

Backus' said he was furious when he discovered $1,500 was missing from his account and was floored when a Wachovia employee pointed out the suspect also had stolen $850.

Wachovia Bank returned his money but declined to prosecute, saying it's Bank of America's problem, Backus said.

Backus went back the Marion Sheriff's investigator, who told him they still needed more information to make the case.

"He's got his picture on the wall saying, 'I'm going to get him, I'm going to get him,"' Backus said. " ... All he does is sit around all day and hack on the computer until he gets a hit. He got me and three other people."

Backus, who retired from work after 34 years, said he doesn't use credit cards and had a credit score of 802.

A perfect score is 850.

After the theft of his identity, he doesn't know what his score is.

Since September, Backus has changed banks. He's also contemplated changing his Social Security number.

"You should see the horror you have to go through to change your Social Security number," Backus said.

In order to obtain a new number, one has to prove their age, citizenship, or lawful immigration status and identity.

Even if the number is changed, that doesn't guarantee your identity won't be stolen again.

Backus said he's still angry and frustrated and his wife lives in fear since the incident.

"I never dream this would happen to me," he said.


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