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Identity Theft Issues Resolved in 48 Hours

Identity Theft Issues Resolved in 48 Hours

  • Applicant: Mr. Len
  • Nationality: American
  • Applying for: Identity Theft Protection, Resolving Potential Grand Theft Auto charges
  • Case Type: Identity Theft
  • Time: 48 hours
  • Challenges:
    • Client facing Grand Theft Auto charges when he was 100% innocent
    • He was appalled that something like this would happen and had no idea how to navigate the criminal and insurance case that was unraveling before him
    • All of his friends and family were getting phone calls about his alleged crime and even his employer started asking questions
    • He needed a quick solution and peace of mind fast and a strategy to overcome everything
    • His identity was stolen, and someone used his name to steal a car, and now he is on the hook

BACKGROUND

Mr. Len, a successful thirty-four-year-old, import-export consultant, was sorting through his mail when he sliced open an envelope with an odd-looking letter inside. The letter stated that Mr. Len had not returned a rental car from a well-known agency. He hadn’t rented a car in many years, so he knew there was some kind of mistake. The letterhead was not the familiar logo of the car rental agency and appeared generic and unprofessional. In the past, Mr. Len had received email scams from a Nigerian prince and “data breach notice” texts from banks he didn’t belong to. Figuring this was just another scam he trashed the letter and moved on.

After a week, Mr. Len received a second letter with the identical suspicious-looking letterhead. Again, he ignored it. Then, while at work, he received a phone call from the well-known rental car agency. Mr. Len didn’t take the call but asked his assistant to take down the number. Later that day his friends and family started calling him asking if he is okay because police and insurance agents were calling them to look for him. This was alarming. He dropped everything and started to panic because he didn’t know what to do. Should I call the company back? But what if it was a scam? It was then that his family told him to consult with Tsang and Associates since they seemed to have a solution for everything.

 

KEYS TO SUCCESS

The first thing we did was verify whether or not this was indeed a scam. We put a team on tracing the call, and verifying with third parties to see if everything checks out. If there was theft in vegas, there would be police reports, and the agency in Vegas would have a report on file. We also sent a team to the nearest car rental company to pull the file on our client to see if there was indeed a policy claim against him and who the designated insurance representative was. As it turned out, the letter was legitimate. Over the phone, they provided details of the missing rental car (a $20,000 Toyota Corolla), a Las Vegas police record number and Mr. Len’s driver’s license, credit card, and insurance information used to rent the vehicle. The firm then contacted the Las Vegas police and found out the report was also on the up-and-up. A representative of the firm also went to the nearest location of the well-known car rental agency and showed them the letter. They confirmed Mr. Len had officially been blacklisted from renting a car with them. In conclusion, the charge that Mr. Len had failed to return a rental car was not a scam. The claim was true and accurate except he’d never rented the car. Now he was potentially facing charges of Grand Theft Auto.

Whoever rented the Corolla had a copy of Mr. Len’s driver’s license number and insurance information, but paid with a fake credit card with his name. Someone had stolen his identity. Although Mr. Len was innocent, the car rental agency would hold him accountable unless he could prove otherwise. Tsang and Associates helped Mr. Len put a plan into action.

First, Mr. Len needed to prove he was not in Las Vegas during the car rental period. The firm helped Mr. Len collect ATM receipts and personal statements and then sent a formal letter with the attached exhibits to the well-known car rental agency. Upon receipt, they quickly removed Mr. Len’s liability from the insurance claim. This would at least stop all the harassment from friends and family and his boss. However, the problem was not completely resolved.

Whoever stole Mr. Len’s identity could still do more damage. Tsang and Associates advised Mr. Len on how to protect his identity. First, he needed to freeze all of his credit cards and examine the statements for any suspicious purchases. He would also need to file an identity theft report with the police department, get a new driver’s license number, and recreate signatures at his bank.

This and so much more was needed, but the most important thing was that there was an attack plan in place. The scariest place to be is uncertainty and making decisions in fear. Now, an attack plan is in place, and everything is resolved, and life moves on. Another small wrinkle but no longer a big deal.

 

OUTCOME

Mr. Len has a busy schedule, and by hiring Tsang and Associates the identity theft matter was resolved within 48 hours. Identity Theft is a growing and pernicious problem that needs to be handled quickly and Mr. Len was pleased with the quick response and the low fee. Tsang and Associates is happy to have helped Mr. Len avoid potential criminal charges and advise him on how to protect his identity.