According to a recent report by live 5 news, Mayor Rutledge Leland was the victim of identity theft. The report states that our beloved “Rut” received a shipment of computers at the seafood market that he did not order and a cell phone showed up on his bill that was not his. Both incidents were taken care of by the companies before any negative impact could be felt by the mayor.
In my experience in law enforcement, if this is all that happens then Rutledge can consider himself a very lucky man. Most people aren’t tipped off by recieving notice from banks or anyone else. It’s usually only when they attempt to buy a car or get financing for a house that they find they have a major mark on their credit from identity theft that has been going on for months or years.
I urge everyone to get a credit report every one or two years and follow up on any unknown charges (however, be aware that checking your credit numerous times, whether it’s you, car dealers, or mortgage brokers, can lower your overall credit score). If identity theft is caught early enough than you may be able to trace the paper trail back to the crook and catch them.