Two women from Bremerton, Washington, have pleaded guilty to federal charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Emily Vranic and Heather Marquis admitted to a scheme where they opened credit cards and lines of credit in other people's names, stealing nearly $229,000 from banks and their customers.
The scheme involved intercepting mail from victims to obtain personal information, including documents pulled from stolen mail. The perpetrators redirected new account statements to an address they controlled, preventing victims from being immediately aware of the fraudulent activity.
This case highlights a growing trend in identity crimes, where the opening of new accounts is the most common method of misuse. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, 62.1% of attempted identity misuse cases begin with a new account application, rather than the takeover of an existing account.
Credit cards were the primary target in this scheme, accounting for 41% of attempted account misuse reported to the ITRC. Checking accounts and personal loans represented 17.7% and 8.5% respectively. The process for opening a fraudulent credit card often involves matching a submitted name, date of birth, address, and Social Security number against existing records, which can lead to automated approval without human verification.
Further compounding the issue, identity thieves often do not stop at one account. The ITRC found that 25.6% of victims face multiple identity incidents concurrently. The same stolen personal details can be used to open subsequent accounts.
Victims may not discover the fraudulent activity for weeks or even months. New accounts typically do not appear on credit reports until the first statement cycle closes, which can be 30 to 60 days after the account is opened. Banks report to credit bureaus monthly, with an additional delay for the bureaus to process the information. Statements are often sent to the thief's address, and if they are mistaken for routine offers or unrelated mail, they can be easily overlooked.
Individuals who suspect fraudulent accounts have been opened in their name are advised to act quickly. Key steps include contacting the card issuer to close or freeze the account, visiting IdentityTheft.gov to file an official report and create a recovery plan, and potentially filing a police report if requested by a creditor. Maintaining detailed records of all communications and transactions is crucial. Disputing fraudulent accounts in writing with both the lender and the three major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—is also recommended. Freezing credit at all three bureaus and adding a fraud alert can help prevent future fraudulent applications. Reporting suspected mail theft to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and requesting an IRS Identity Protection PIN can further safeguard against misuse of personal information. Changing passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and monitoring account activity are also essential protective measures.