HOUSTON — A woman’s identity was stolen and investigators say her case could be part of a bigger crime ring.
Melissa Darlow said her first red flag was a new credit card opened in her name in November. Once that was taken care of, she thought that would be the end of it, but it wasn’t.
“It’s been heartbreaking. The worst thing for a mother to do is see your child in anguish," said Debbie Darlow, who first got a phone call from a real estate agent saying someone had stolen her daughter’s identity. “I knew my daughter wasn’t looking for a lease, so I called her right back and she broke the news that someone had stolen my daughter’s identity, her social security number, her driver’s license number."
Her daughter doesn’t even live in Texas right now, she’s in New York City.
"It makes me nauseous," Melissa said.
She’s been contacted by several agents about a woman trying to rent apartments and homes in Houston, Humble, and Montgomery County. The woman is using Melissa's driver’s license with a swapped-out picture, filling out a rental application, and even providing fake paystubs.
“It feels very violating to have all of your information not only obtained by someone, but they are running around Houston trying to use it," Melissa said.
“The question is where did this fraud or this identity theft originate?” said Lt. Marco Leal, with Harris County Precinct 2.
He said they’re working leads and think it’s bigger than just one person.
“It’s a strong possibility it is a group or a ring, a lot of times this information can be sold to a third party," Leal said.
This mom just hopes all the information she’s received will give investigators enough to track it all down.
“If they are doing it to her, they are doing it to other people out there, and this needs to be stopped. These people need to be stopped,” Debbie said.
The Houston Association of Realtors also sent a fraud alert out to its members:
"The Harris County Precinct 2 Constable's Office is investigating multiple cases of suspects submitting fraudulent rental applications under the name "Melissa Darlow." Deputies say the suspects are also submitting fraudulent identification and financial records. Three REALTORS have reported receiving the fraudulent rental applications. If you believe you received a fraudulent rental application from someone with the name "Melissa Darlow," please email safety@har.com."
There are several things you can do to protect your personal information:
- You want to monitor your credit report and your bank statements
- Shred receipts and credit offers, anything that comes in the mail with personal information
- And ask questions before sharing information
If you do spot fraud, report it right away to your credit card company, police, and the Federal Trade Commission.
If you have a problem, Grace Can Help. Call (713) 521-HELP or email GraceCanHelp@khou.com