Tarrytown Shopkeeper Victim of Identity Theft

A Tarrytown shopkeeper on Dec. 10 at 4:55 p.m. reported to Tarrytown police that she had been the victim of a pricey identity theft.

An unknown person created and cashed a fraudulent check on her checking account in the amount of $12,960.

Lieutenant William Herguth said the case is being investigated by the detective division and could offer no more information at this time.

Identity theft happens regularly to residents of the villages and only seems to be escalating since Patch talked to detective Sgt. Gene Buonanno (since retired) on the subject in 2010.

"Everybody's a target. Once you charge something, you're up for grabs," said Buonanno. Identity thieves use increasingly sophisticated technologies and schemes, making the issue in Tarrytown alone a "full-time problem."

"There's not a week that goes by that we don't get some type of identity theft," Buonanno said. 

For tips on avoiding identity theft, click here.

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