Stolen Identity What to Do?

hbspark1 on 22/01/2020 - 15:42

Il try make this clear and short

My wallet and ID were stolen from the beach in Scarborough.

2 days later - get a message on Facebook from a bloke letting me know he has been scammed over fake tickets sold to him for a festival using my ID as proof in a picture and a fake Facebook profile of me and using my pictures. He sent me all the screenshots and has gone to the cops and is trying to get a refund from paypal.

Another two days later - Get a message from a very angry girl in Tasmania saying I robbed her of $150 and she wants her tickets to a Tasmanian Festival. I explained everything with the screenshots from old mate above, she apologies and said she has already been to the cops and has told me I have robbed her and used the ID picture of me to show who the robber was.

Yesterday I went to the cops to explain my story and straighten everything out, the Police office says there isn't a lot they can do apart from lodge it. I cannot get a new driver's license number in WA, that number is mine for life.

My concern is the mad person who comes knocking on my door (he has my address from the license) and demands money and that I scammed them. This person who stole my ID has no reason to stop the cash grab he is on

Im not really sure how anyone can help, just letting people know what others are capable of and your ID is like your passport.

General Discussion

Comments

  • GG57 on 22/01/2020 - 15:47
    +2

    In hindsight, reporting it to the police immediately would have been the best action; same as reporting to your bank etc.

    The victims of the fraudster should also report their cases to the police.

    • hbspark1 on 22/01/2020 - 15:53

      Yes I agree, but with the ID is someone else's possession there is nothing they can do unless that caught this person red-handed with my ID

      • GG57 on 22/01/2020 - 15:59
        +1

        Only the police can decide what they can and cannot do. They may be able to assemble a case on other evidence.

  • Kail on 22/01/2020 - 15:48
    +2

    I'm so sorry this has happened to you. I hope this link helps:

    https://www.afp.gov.au/what-we-do/crime-types/fraud/identity…

  • godofpizza on 22/01/2020 - 15:50
    +2

    have a copy of the police report handy when people start contacting you about being scammed. otherwise to find out where these tickets are being advised on fb groups and put out notices not to buy tickets from someone claiming to be you.

    good luck

    • hbspark1 on 22/01/2020 - 15:52

      After the Freemantle festival I did this on the facebook group, but I thought that would be the end of it, sadly it was not.

  • trustnoone on 22/01/2020 - 15:52
    +2

    I think theres a list of things to do for something like this, I don't remember what they are but I think some include ensuring you definitely get a police report, this will help when police/collection agency/other agency comes knocking at your door you'll have that to back you up (or maybe a victim certificate?). Also if collection agency comes round asking for some money and asking you to pay "a small amount" so that you can deal with it later, DO NOT PAY IT, I've been told (I'm not a lawyer) that by paying even a bit, it may make you obligated to a debt thats not yours, police report again helps here (or maybe Commonwealth Victims' Certificate).

    I'd keep a check on your credit reports incase something comes up, you may need to freeze some stuff if they try to go a banking route. Might be worth talking to what websites they were getting hit from, you might be able to find the user (because you can search for your name) and keep getting it taken down, you might even just be able to search for your name in quotation marks.

    https://www.moneysmart.gov.au/scams/identity-fraud

    Hopefully this site helps, particular the IDCARE part.

  • No on 22/01/2020 - 15:54
    +2

    Report the fake facebook profile, if you don't have facebook create a profile and put a warning in the picture so anyone searching the name comes across it.

    • hbspark1 on 22/01/2020 - 16:04

      Genius, I have not created my own fake profile and used my name with the picture explaining my stolen ID.

  • Seraphin7 on 22/01/2020 - 16:20
    -2

    My concern is the mad person who comes knocking on my door (he has my address from the license) and demands money and that I scammed them.

    Move.

  • ihbh on 22/01/2020 - 16:28
    +5

    How do we know you're you and not the scammer posing as you?

    • hbspark1 on 22/01/2020 - 17:18
      +1

      Either way, Im just letting people know what is out there.

      BTW you're the 7th comment and have won a prize please go here to claim it.

      www.thescammergotyou.com

  • Debuting on 22/01/2020 - 16:57
    +1

    This is a lesson to those buyers to get a picture of the person holding their ID card next to their face…

    I think if the OP is legit, then he/she will be fine.

    • [Deactivated] on 22/01/2020 - 17:03

      …and now the scammer has a photo of you and your driver's license.

      What now?

      • Debuting on 23/01/2020 - 09:17

        It can't be used anyway because of the date in the background. They would have it anyway if you were selling something and they asked for your ID.

        Furthermore, every picture you have can be matched against anything you sold. Make every picture unique and you can catch that scammer.

        Wait I just realised I didn't post the full post yesterday. It's meant to include with the current newspaper in the background and not just a simple computer screen where the date can be changed. Preferably something like the Sydney Morning Herald's front page, unless they can somehow time travel. It will also be hard to photoshop in a new background because the dimensions will be all wrong and the angle.

        However, there is always the risk they just crop out the drivers license, but you are now able to determine where it came from.

  • Make it so on 22/01/2020 - 19:01

    I cannot get a new driver's license number in WA, that number is mine for life.

    ….that has to be WA government….. what nonsense.

    • SirFlibbled on 24/01/2020 - 14:44

      Unless it's changed over the last 3 or so years, it's a national problem.

  • SirFlibbled on 24/01/2020 - 14:42

    Contact ID Care for proper advice - https://www.idcare.org/

    With driver licences, you can't 'cancel' them. You'll get a replacement but it'll have the same number as your current license. But you can't stop a scammer from using your license to scam people unfortunately. Just keep a record of it in case the cops decide to bother to visit you one day.

    You might also want to put an alert on your credit file so you can keep an eye on it.

  • deme on 24/01/2020 - 23:26

    Do get a new license, the license number won't change but the card number will.

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