Janesville Marine Victim Of ID Theft While Overseas
Parents Wished They Had Power Of Attorney
Posted: 9:31 pm CDT May 31, 2006Updated: 9:40 pm CDT May 31, 2006
JANESVILLE, Wis. -- National headlines regarding stolen personal information of U.S. veterans have prompted a federal task force to investigate, but even active troops overseas are finding themselves at risk.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportMike Dissmore never thought he would be on the computer researching identity theft until he got a phone call last October from a credit card company, asking for his son, Jacob, an active-duty Marine."I asked them, 'Is this about possible fraud?' They said, 'Yes it is,'" said Dissmore. "I said, 'Well he is overseas and it couldn't possibly be him.'"But Dissmore said the calls and letters kept coming -- all of them asking about current purchases. Someone had even bought a house under Jacob's name."A business has been started using his name. We know that they have $15,000 to $20,000 on credit that they've maxed out. Plus numerous credit cards -- maybe twenty credit cards out there."Jacob's mother, Lori, said her son was very interested in real estate after he finished serving, but now she's worried about his future endeavors."[I can't believe] that they would do that to him while he was in Iraq, with all they're going through over there, with what their mother's going through with her son over there. And now someone's doing identity theft on him."The Dissmores said until Jacob returned home, there was nothing they could do."A mistake we made was before he left, he should have given me or somebody power of attorney over his legal dealings," said Mike Dissmore. "And we didn't do that, so we were pretty powerless to do anything."Jacob has returned from Iraq and is currently working in California, but his family said there is a chance he will go back overseas next spring."You would think that in a month this should be wrapped up," said Lori Dissmore. "But I have no idea. And this has to be taken care of before he leaves again because he doesn't want that on his shoulder."
VIDEO: Watch The ReportMike Dissmore never thought he would be on the computer researching identity theft until he got a phone call last October from a credit card company, asking for his son, Jacob, an active-duty Marine."I asked them, 'Is this about possible fraud?' They said, 'Yes it is,'" said Dissmore. "I said, 'Well he is overseas and it couldn't possibly be him.'"But Dissmore said the calls and letters kept coming -- all of them asking about current purchases. Someone had even bought a house under Jacob's name."A business has been started using his name. We know that they have $15,000 to $20,000 on credit that they've maxed out. Plus numerous credit cards -- maybe twenty credit cards out there."Jacob's mother, Lori, said her son was very interested in real estate after he finished serving, but now she's worried about his future endeavors."[I can't believe] that they would do that to him while he was in Iraq, with all they're going through over there, with what their mother's going through with her son over there. And now someone's doing identity theft on him."The Dissmores said until Jacob returned home, there was nothing they could do."A mistake we made was before he left, he should have given me or somebody power of attorney over his legal dealings," said Mike Dissmore. "And we didn't do that, so we were pretty powerless to do anything."Jacob has returned from Iraq and is currently working in California, but his family said there is a chance he will go back overseas next spring."You would think that in a month this should be wrapped up," said Lori Dissmore. "But I have no idea. And this has to be taken care of before he leaves again because he doesn't want that on his shoulder." Copyright 2006 by Channel 3000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
