Identity Thieves Hit Forest Lake Neighborhood

One neighborhood in the North Metro has been hit by a problem many Minnesotans face:  identity theft. 

More than a dozen neighbors in Forest Lake have become victims. They live in the Summerfield subdivision. 

They didn't find out they were victims, until after they became victims. That's typical of ID theft crimes. 

Barbara Stanley says strangers took out four credit cards in her name and maxed all of them out. She doesn't know how someone got ahold of her name, social security number, date of birth, address  and phone number. Neither do 13 of her neighbors.

In one month, ID thieves have done $100,000 in damage in that one neighborhood. Forest Lake police tell KSTP ID theft is the number one crime they deal with. They have formed a special unit to investigate those crimes. 

Police are working with residents to form a plan of action to curtail the crime.

The Department of Public Safety says victims are scattered all over the state. On average, 3,000 Minnesotans a year say their ID's have been swiped. 

 

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