Because the woman’s son was under 18, the Social Security Administration gave her a debit card in her name so that she could receive and access her son’s disability payments starting in May of 2017. This way she could get the necessary care for her son. All good until she disappears in December of 2017 and the card falls into the boyfriend’s hands. Who started using the card six days after she went missing for his own personal benefit. Because fraudsters only do for themselves.
There is no explanation for the mother’s disappearance. And no one notified the Social Security Administration about her disappearance. But the boyfriend did make some phone calls to the SSA, impersonating the woman! In March 2018, the boyfriend requested a replacement debit card by calling SSA customer service and posed as his girlfriend over the phone. He did so by identifying himself as her and gave her phone number, address, date of birth and Social Security number. About a month later, he impersonated his girlfriend again and requested another replacement debit card.
Five years later, this fraud was finally stopped! The boyfriend has been charged with two counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity. In total he stole almost $20,000 in disability benefits from a boy in need. No word on the current care of the boy, or his missing mom.
Great job by the Social Security Administration in catching this despicable fraudster.
Today’s Fraud Of The Day is based on article “Missing mom’s boyfriend stole her disabled son’s benefits after she vanished, feds say” published by The Miami Herald on March 6, 2023
A missing mother’s boyfriend stole her disabled son’s Social Security Administration benefits after she disappeared, officials said. Nearly a week after a mother went missing, her boyfriend changed the PIN to her debit card and started stealing thousands in benefits meant for her disabled son, federal prosecutors said.
The woman, who lived with her boyfriend in Newark, New Jersey, has been missing since Dec. 24, 2017 , according to officials. She was identified only as “V.W.” in court documents. Now the 37-year-old man is charged with two counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft in connection to stealing his girlfriend’s son’s monthly benefits for years, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey announced in a March 3 news release.
