EDMONDS — Police believe a former renter stole her landlord’s identity and used it to pocket roughly $30,000.
The suspect, 57, was arrested last week and booked into the Snohomish County Jail for investigation of theft and identity theft.
The case should serve as a cautionary tale, police said.
The victim, 70, contacted Edmonds police in June to report that somebody had taken out several credit cards, a bank account and a bank loan using her personal and financial information without her knowledge, according to a police report.
She became aware of the fraud when a collection agency called her about an overdue $4,500 loan in her name.
She also found out that someone had tried to open a Discover credit card account using her information. She remembered getting a credit card in the mail from Discover that had her name as well as a business name of “Golden Cleaners” on it. She threw it away.
She told police that a former renter in her home had owned a dry cleaning business in Kingston.
Police could not find the name the renter had given the Edmonds woman. They were able to find her identity by tracing the business, which was not registered with the state Department of Revenue or Secretary of State..
The victim’s credit report showed that someone had been using her identity for about two years.
Police believe the suspect was using a credit card in the victim’s name to filter checks through her dry cleaning business. A $25,000 American Express credit card balance was found under the victim’s name as well as the $4,500 small business loan.
The suspect allegedly was recorded on ATM video cashing checks through the fraudulent bank account. She was arrested Wednesday while aboard the ferry from Edmonds to Kingston.
Edmonds police Sgt. Shane Hawley said the case is a good reminder for people to take advantage of getting a free annual credit report.
He also said people opening their homes to renters should take the precaution of locking up private documents and credit card information.
“Keep them in an area that is only accessible to you,” he said.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.
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