ID thefts at England Air Force bases total $70G

ID thefts at England Air Force bases total $70G
By Geoff Ziezulewicz, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Thursday, August 7, 2008

RAF MILDENHALL, England — Thieves spent $650 on a shopping spree at Bloomingdale's in New York City and more than $1,100 at various Canadian businesses in just two cases of identity theft reported in the past month within Air Force communities in England.

Sixty-six victims reported losses totaling $37,917 at RAF Lakenheath from July 5 to Aug. 5.

Victims�f bank accounts were hacked and duplicate debit cards were created to make purchases all over North America, from Canada to Mexico and throughout the States, according to statistics provided by Lakenheath�fs 48th Security Forces Squadron.

Approximately 150 identity theft incidents totaling about $70,000 were reported within the RAF Mildenhall and Lakenheath communities in the past month, according to Air Force investigators. Numbers for victims stationed at the 501st Combat Support Wing bases in England were not available by press time.

Maj. John Northon, commander of the 48th Security Forces Squadron at Lakenheath, said his shop usually gets one identity theft report a month.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=56604