Connecticut Government Decides To Make Things Easy For Identity Thieves
from the saving-you-the-trouble dept
While some companies and groups are still forcing would-be identity thieves to go to the trouble of stealing laptops to grab personal information from people, a department of the Connecticut state government saw an opportunity to save them some effort, and posted the names and Social Security numbers of 1,700 employees online. The state claims that because the list was available only by searching for a name and wasn't linked anywhere (to its knowledge, anyway), the risk of identity theft is low. That may be true, but it hardly excuses the data leak. This sort of "there's nothing to worry about" attitude about identity theft and data leaks really does nothing to help solve the problem, nor does downplaying threats and losses. The problem is that stupidity is beating malice as the reason for these leaks: whether it's by leaving data, encrypted or not, on laptops, or posting it online inadvertently, incompetence is proving a significant threat to otherwise innocent consumers.
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Small Companies
I received an email that was forwarded by my rep from another of the agency's reps containing documents that I needed to sign and fax back.
In this forwarded email, there was the Full Name, Address, Social Security Number, and DOB for another potential employee.
Needless to say, I alerted the agency to this HUGE "accident", and how easily I could have assumed this person's identity as my own. Hopefully my info doesn't end up out there like this.
You'd think agency's where all they do is get people jobs would know how to handle sensitive information!
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Lack of Concern
At first I didn't want to make waves at that crucial point in my job search so I told the HR person that I would. After I hung up, I began to consider the implications of their error. I called back and stated as professionally as I could, that I would be happy to re-provide the information, however, I did consider the loss of my information to be an unacceptable risk to my personal privacy. I asked them to please look for the information and get back to me in 24 hrs.
It turns out that they found the information a few hours later. What really blew me away was how unconcerned/annoyed the person I talked with seemed to be.
I did get offered the position, btw.
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Pharmacists have the same problem
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Did someone swap Texas and Connecticut while I was
Then they bust a peace activist/journalist for taking pictures of the governor on inauguration day. (Ooooh, good use of Fatherland Security funds!)
Now this.
Maybe someone should check the Housatonic for hallucinogenic
contaminants.
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Our collective stupidity...
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They're left in the cold...
"Those affected workers have been advised to monitor their personal finance records the next few months."
Not only did they dump the info on the web, they aren't even going to help the affected workers with the current standard "year of monitoring", but expect the workers to do it themselves.
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Good for the Goose
When do the people in charge of making such ridiculous decision get held to account? Ever? Anywhere?
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CT. MY SWEET HOME
I'm a 58yr. old disabled person and have delt with the state of CT. for 30 years.That lack of concern attitude as been around along time.
CT. My Sweet Home,doesn't smell so sweet anymore.
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Why have we created a system where a number is so
I don't cheer because I want to see people's lives ruined, but I cheer because the more incidents like this occur, the more the inherent flaws of the system are exposed.
We need to develop an economic model based on love and need rather than digits and greed.
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student ID = social security number
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Exterminate Al Quaeda identity thieves
Write to your senators and congressmen to exterminate Al Quaeda identity thieves!! Read the story.
As you aware there are many citizens under constant threat, harassment with great damages. It is a lengthy but a valuable true story which is a valid data to be considered for A New Law if any. We hope you would actively participate in an action to legislate a strong anti identity theft lawn when you have chance.
Please consider with your colleagues to PROPOSE A NEW LAW TO CONTROL IDENTIDY THIEF AND STIMULUS AID PACKAGE FOR THE THEFT VICTIMS
God bless you.
Respectfully submitted,
Chae S. Sone, Ph. D.
Kyung Kim, M. D.
Paul M. Sone, MA, CPA
2 Woodbury Court Hicksville, New York 11801
ABSTRACT
This paper is on the problems of identity theft, partly involved with Citibank, Capital One Bank, Chase Bank, Bank of America, Commerce Bank, American Express, Astoria Savings Bank, etc., from New York to Arizona, California and other areas.
Thieves used all of our family members’ names. Bank of America obtained a default judgment against my son for the deft we do not owe. Capital one sued for the debt we do not owe. Commerce Bank and other agencies filed lawsuits for the same empty reasons.
Through the investigation by the Comptroller of the Currency on the frauds
partly revealed the banker’s ignorance on banking or investigative methods.
There seems to be signs of collaboration of bank insiders and thieves for the operation.
The victims are left out in the cold.
The circumstances urgently remind the law makers that there is a pressing urgent need to legislate new laws to protect the consumers, especially the elderly victims as they are easy targets and to re-educate the bankers how to deal with the problems of ID thieves and upgrade the computer security system. For it matters with American family peace and national security.
Furthermore, the government should try to prevent the infiltration into the identity thievery operations in this nation.
Reports to the local Police, DA, FBI and Fed Trade Commission did not help at all. Police is dysfunctional for the crime control.
There also needs to allocate the stimulus aid for the innocent victims and their legal aid.
Who could rescue the sinking America?
The time has come for you Senators that you should remind Mr. President to establish a new law and a rescue plan for the ID theft victims. It is most urgent domestic terror activities which should be controlled by any means under a new law.
There are many victims who are suffering under the identity thief terrorists as the economically sinking nation is under the constant threats of Taliban and Al Qaeda.
We wish that the Senators also encourage that the Obama government should
consider issuing a stimulus package to assist the ID theft victims too.
There are many families suffering like ours because of the disaster of identity thieves. Ignorant bankers are largely responsible for these troubles.
Although the bankers seem to be responsible for ID thieves’ operations, they are well compensated by the stimulus package with high bonuses. The Senators should to try to introduce anti identity theft act and compensate the victims, especially the elderly who are specially targeted.
However, the ID victims excluded from the package. Please help the fraud victims, especially the senior citizens.
This report described how the bank officers are ill trained to be managers in this cyber age. Many of them are just ignorant. Government should try to re-train them for the economy recovery plan which would not be successful unless they are re-educated to control the ID thieves as the needs clearly demonstrated in our experiences.
ID THIEVES’ NETWORK
For more than two year, the identity thieves illegally stolen the funds from our accounts or opened accounts and transferred out the funds in our family member’s name from 6 banks without our knowledge.
The banks, without verifying the frauds, are suing us for the debts which we do not owe. Their verification system is absolutely in fraud, unsophisticated in preventing the frauds - an obsolete banking system.
In most instances, the thieves open account on line in my name and afterwards my son’s name added as an authorized account owner, mostly were done on phone request, using our home phone number, in another thieves’ phone –very sophisticated thieves.
The banks failed to present valid signed application forms for the opening of accounts whenever we requested the validation.
INEPT BANKING ART AND THE STUPID BRUTAL LAWSUITS
Bank of America got a default judgment against my son although he did not owe anything, at the Nassau County District court – the judge just decided without hearing my son’s story. Just we are waiting for the judge’s review of the default judgment. The inept court system is wasting our tax money in response to ID thieves trickeries. It is good to hear the voice to ouster the Bank of America CEO who are out of touch of the people.
Capital One Bank sued me at the NY State Supreme Court, Nassau County for the debt that I did not owe. Of course it failed to present the written evidence of the account I opened. As pro se, I filed a motion. The lawyer postponed it to next month. It is not know how long it lasts. The court officials are very unfriendly in favor of attorney whom they know – A licensed extortion from helpless elderly victim.
Four other cases are pending at the District court although we owe nothing.
For past two years, we are suffering so much because of these frauds which are costly to us and taxing our family peace.
We do not have the resources to hire attorneys. The banks and thieves are actively pursuing for easy money from the innocent elderly victims with help of the stimulus package. Why the government should reward these thieves and the banks in the expense of the innocent victims?
STIMULUS AID TO THE VICTIMS
PENALTY FOR BANKERS UNDER NEW LAWS
OTHERWISE TALLIBANS, ALQUEDAS JOIN THEM
The Treasury Department should introduced new consumer protection rules or laws to prevent ID thieves for protection of the customers and to aid them.
1. The new rule makes it mandatory to require the written ID of new account openers. In case of online application, there should be the guaranteed traceable records to be stored on the computer data system so that it make easier to arrest them in fraud cases.
The victims should not carry the burden of the bankers’ mistake in fraud cases.
2. The Art to retrace the charge card users. Citibank was able to trace our home phone number the thief used on another, in one of our cases.
Other banks should be able to do the same.
3. The bank should pay a minimum cost for each letter at least $100, whenever the victim responds to the banker’s inquiry which the victim has nothing to do with.
4. If a lawsuit filed against the innocent victim, a minimum statutory damage of $5,000 against the bank for the victim, plus other damages, costs and attorney fees.
Otherwise, banks automatically sue the helpless victims, especially elderly like us. For the banks would not lose anything as the stimulus package subsidizes them, even the thieves’ extortions. Why not to sue? It is profitable for the banks, even for the thieves as it is so easy to sue the innocent victims who are helpless good citizens without any protected.
5. Unjustly the stimulus package seems to cover even the costs for the bank to extort the innocent victims for the debt that did not owe. There should be fines
for the bankers who are irresponsibly suing the innocent victims.
Who can stop Taliban or Al Qaeda terrorists joining in the ID thieveries?
INABILITY TO VERIFY THE FORGED CHECKS
Negligent banks usually passed the forged checks even without verification of the different signatures by the same forger – absolute negligence or collaboration with the theft in the cases.
BANKER’S IRRESPONSIBILITY SINKS AMERICA
Our cases revealed the banker’s irresponsibility to protect the customers. They are not well trained to do even a basic investigation as lacked the logical thinking or proper education for the banking.
Even they are not prepared to answer the telephone calls on the very subject matter even in the response to their instruction.
The negligence also commonly revealed in the failures to verify ID by Chase Bank, Bank of America, Commerce Bank, Capital One Bank, Astoria Savings Bank, American Express, etc., our multiple cases.
The experience indicates as if the roof-wholes of the sinking America are in the Bankers’ heads. The government should plug them off and replace with the newly trained heads.
NEED OF NEW CYBER LAW AND CYBER BANKING
A NEW BANK TRAINING FOR NATIONAL SECURITY
The comptroller of the currency affected some degree upon the bankers for verification of the thefts in the cases. However, their poorly trained or not trained approach surprisingly indicated the bank staff that is totally lacked even elementary logic to handle the fraud cases in this cyber age, regardless their ranking, without mentioning the total lack of moral sensitivities. The Comptroller needs to renovate dealing with the banks.
Their banking art at the current scene seems to be outdated to fight against the cyber age crimes. The situation demands a new training to meet the new revolutionary cyber age challenges. The security system should be upgraded to face the new Obama age. Otherwise the sinking will continue bottomless.
STEALIING MAIL
The thieves seem to network with bank insiders. For most cases, we did not get the monthly statement regularly on the fraudulent accounts or debts from the bank because of the interception of the mail or packages by them as they knew how to time the interceptions.
Forcefully, urgently re-Allocated from the already given stimulus package to fund for the new trainings and for the rescue plan.
ESTABLISH ID THEFT EXTERMINATION DEPARTMENT
The government should consider establishing the Department to fight the wise guys which is acting like a domestic Taliban to disturb the innocent citizens and our social peace. It should punish if the banks function as the front organ to collect money for the thieves from the innocent victims. For now the bank and thieves seem to appear making money, in this unfortunate scenario, with the support of the stimulus aid which is our tax money.
In other words, at present, the financial establishment and the crooks in unison unfairly make money while victimizing the innocent tax payers.
It is very urgent to examine this abnormal criminal function and establish the countermeasures.
PRO BONO SERVICES FOR THE VICTIMS OF SENIOR GROUP
There should be a government sponsored rescue plan for the victims of ID thieves –pro bono – Just prevent the merciless harassment of the innocent helpless victims
At an early stage. The stimulus package should stand with the people and for the people in the pursuit of happiness in this land of freedom.
EMPERICAL DATA FOR REFERENCES
LETTERS EXCHANGED WITH BANKKERS
The investigative letters from the banks reveal their inadequacies or stupidity on the subject matter, which vividly demonstrates the reasons why America is sinking and need the strong countermeasures.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------
CAPITAL ONE BANK (Fake accounts)
2 Woodbury Court
Hicksville, NY 11801
(516) 931-1067
Capitals One Bank (USA) U.S.
PO Box 85870
Richmond, Va. 23265-5870
January 17, 2009
RE: Account ending in 8034 transferred from 5007
Case No.100006752 60460
File No. 845447
Dear Ms. Jennifer Hecht:
I appreciate your detailed letter concerning the fraudulent account ...5007. Your letter raises a series of questions on the validity your verification on the account activities because we did not open the account at all.
Your basic fallacy is that you did not present to us the account for the verification. Evidently your verifications based upon the false information of your free choice, excluding us. Such motivation is very questionable as it was beyond an ordinary logic.
On the basis of the false information, accusing us for the criminal activities is prejudicial, beyond your privilege and a violation of our constitutional right. Why you are taking this irrational offensive course?
FAKE ACCOUNTS
You stated in the letter,
“4/3/2007, the account opened, and then Paul
added as authorized user...5007.”
1. You failed to name who opened the original account ...5007?
2. Produce a copy of the opener’s signed contract or
signed application form for verification.
3. The location of the bank.
4. How did you know Paul was my son?
Who did identify my son without questioning us?
This guy may be the trouble maker in the thieves’
network. Did you check the suspect’s list when I
reported ID theft to you?
5. First time you brought out Paul’s name on January 7,
2008, in this letter. Is it a new discovery now?
Why did you not tell us Paul’s phone call in the letter of September 12, 2007, when you first time stated the account was a fraud?
6. What was the home phone number?
7. You seem to have mailed a charge card to him but the
thieves picked it up at the bank before the delivery as he
had an inner connection.
8. Did you trace phone call?
9. If the criminal used the stolen phone number, you could
have traced back to the telephone owner or the location
to arrest him. The tracing could have led you possibly
to an ID theft network, Taliban or Al Quaeda terrorist
net work in Iraq, Afghanistan or your Capital one
inside network.
You missed a good chance to catch them. You know the
smart guys are ruining American financial
establishment. See if Arab money in Capital working
against American interest in order to feed them.
SALES SLIPS
1. Please send to us the copies of the signed sales slips for
verification.
2. Did you verify the signatures if Paul really signed them?
3. Show them to us, we will tell you the truth.
4. When you verified the Paul’s purchases, did you contact him through
is home phone number?
FORGED CHECK
“The transfer checks were made out to Paul.”
We want to see the forged checks.
1. Please send to us the copies of his transferred checks for verification.
2. Who made them out?
3. Did you verify the signature of the issuer?
4. Did you verify Paul’s signature on the check?
5. How did you know it was Paul’s signature?
6. Who told you so? Probably the verifier or informer is
the major suspect or a member of the Capital One
insider network.
7. Amount on the check?
8. Which bank?
9. Date issued?
10. Date cashed?
11. We never printed a check book at Capital one.
THIEVES’ ACCOUNTS AT CAPITAL ONE BANK IN OUR NAME
For account ...5007 you stated,
“In error on September 12, 2007, your investigation was closed and that no further action required. We realized our error and on the same date sent you the correct letter advising you that you were the responsible party.”
1. Your logic is untenable because there was no separate
issue on “no error or no error” but “fraud” on the two
letters of September 12th.
The only correct letter was the first one that declared the account
was fraud because it was a fraud and there was no account first
place for us at all as we did not open it.
Someone in the thief’s network opened it in our name
and spent the money.
2. Thus, your newly assigned account number ...8034 is in
a criminal intention too.
3. The two letters on September 12, 2008 indicated there
was no connection of the writer’s thinking process.
4. What was the account data when you said it was
fraud?
5. What was the “Correct” data for account...5007 as?
of September 12?
6. Please send to us the detailed account records as of
September 12, 2007. We will tell you the truth.
FAKE DEBT AS CRIMINALIZED MERCHANDIZE
7. You stated, “On April 18, 2008, your account charged off.” If it means that you sold our fake account for your profit, you made us criminal merchandize in your own free will and sold for profit. Your action insulted us. Your action was against humanity as if selling a kidnapped baby in the black market. Capital One does not have any right to sell in defamation at all.
8. As I reported to you in many times, I did not open the account. You
neglected to investigate who opened the account originally. You violated
FDCPA rules without verifying it within 5 days after the initial communication.
You are trying to make easy money from the innocent victims in extortion without presenting any evidence.
Again, we do not owe anything to Capital one as we did not open the said account.
9. According to the Federal Trade Commission, as much as
80 percent of the money CAMCO collections come from
consumers who never owed the original debt. Many
consumers just pay the money to get CAMCO to stop
threatening and harassing them, their families, their
friends and their co-workers. (Website; Defense of collection
cases) P.3)
CAPITAL ONE BANK ACCOUNTS IN DISPUTES
On March 4, 2008, your Credit Bureau Disputes fraud investigator stated
for account 8034.
“Unfortunately, with the limited information that we received
from the Credit Reporting Agency, we can see no evidence of
fraud on your account.”
1. Does this mean that your banking transaction data is based upon the Agency
data?
2. Which data is more reliable for the BANK record keeping, the Agency
records or yours?
3. Your letter stated account 5007 changed into 8034 on August 17, 2007.
4. But, on August 28, 2007, when Polly informed me the debt amount on account ...5007. Why Polly did not use the new account 8034 which was changed on August 17?
5. On September 12, 2007, when Polly inform me the correction letter,
the debt $14,944.99 was for account 5007, not for 8034.
Please answer for me, why Polly did not use the new account number?
CREDIT AGENCY REPORTS
Following accounts listed for Capital One as disputed:
5178 05726169 8034 Experian
5178 05726169 8034 Equifax 6034 571 Equifax
0804 Equifax
6. How these fake accounts are on the Agency records in my name when I did not open them at Capital One Bank at all?
UNFAIR TREATMENT OF CUSTOMERS
1. According to these account numbers, Capital One Bank is lunching an
extortion march against us in order to get free money from the innocent
victims. Federal authorities should investigate the banking operations.
2.. But you constantly blamed us and harassed us for the
fake debt. Thus you defamed me and my son as crooks
by your clever tricks.
3. You violated our civil right using our names in the
dishonorable way to others.
4. We hope the Federal authorities should crack down
the terrorist identity theft network in the United
States as soon as possible. We will fully cooperate
with their investigation.
5. We hope that the new government should establish
a new department, ID theft Extermination
Department, to save America from the ID thieves.
6.. We hope that Capital One could also be rescued
from the thieves’ capitulation by such an
emergency government intervention.
7 . Send us all the requested data and let you free from
this criminal mess.
8. Please stop telling the nonsense to us anymore. For
you are responsible for the opening fraudulent
account in bias. Certain words are reflections to
your malicious banking business operations.
CITIBANK, CHASE BANK AND AMERICAN EXPRESS
These financial institutions stopped the thieveries within a few days when it was
reported to them. Why Capital One Bank could not do it for more than one year?
WHY? Please bring to us the signed original application for the account. We will tell you
the truth. Isn’t it a simple solution?
Sincerely,
Chae S. Sone
Cc. Office of the Comptroller Currency
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------
BANK OF AMERICA (Fake accounts)
2 Woodbury Court
Hicksville, New York 11801
(516) 931-1067
January 30, 2009
Mr. Heather A. Lowe, Chairman
Bank of America
Customer Advocate Office
4060 Stanton Ogletown Road
Newark, Del 19713
RE: Case #816111
Accounts 7031, 1297 and others
Dear Chairman:
Thank you very much for your letter of January 15th, but the information appears very much in disarray. It disregarded our prior inquiries concerning with the frauds. It appears to be an imperfect response to the Comptroller’s investigation.
Please let me present unanswered questions which could lead a logical course of re-investigation to fairly satisfactory clarification of the frauds at issue.
ACCOUNT …1297
On July 15, 2008, the letter stated, “The above referenced account was fraudulently opened using your personal identification...”
On July 20, 2008, the letter stated, “your account has been blocked from further activity and we intend to investigate matter thoroughly.”
For the case, I filed twice the affidavit of fraud claims.
On October 2, 2008, the letter stated. “After a through investigation, it has been determined that we are unable to approve your fraud claim because our investigation revealed that “inconsistencies” with regard to the circumstances surrounding your claim.”
It did not clarify what the “inconsistencies” were. Both letters did not reveal the official transaction statement that could have revealed the contents of the accounting frauds.
On July 15, 2008, Trans Union stated that “the information your disputed account does not currently appear on your Trans Union credit report.”
You investigated accounts …1297 and ..7031 separately with the two separate affidavits of fraud claims as two different accounts,
Now, your letter indicated the two as one, …7031 (formerly 1297). However, the facts seem to indicate the two accounts merged into one after the two separate investigations. Why the separate investigations? Then, where have the debts on …7031 gone to? If so, why?
You owe to an explanation what the “inconsistencies” were? Just making two accounts into one doesn’t make any bank sense without any proper explanation.
FORGED CHECKS
The copies of the forged checks sent to us signed by different persons impersonating Chae S. Sone. Therefore, the signatures were different from each other. Unless your staff was visually impaired, how these forged checks with obviously dissimilar signatures were honored and cashed?
Please send to us the transaction statements for each of the forged checking accounts. Who opened it? The location of the bank? Opening date? Who was your staff who handled the openings and cashing? Who printed the checks?
If these facts were able to be correctly verified, the frauds for accounts …8133 and all others could be resolved very easily.
ACCOUNT …6576
October 8, 2008, you sent a letter stating, “Recently, we were alerted to the possibility that account was fraudulently opened using your personal information. The account has been blocked from further activity and we intended to investigate...”
But, no accounting statement was given.
On November 12, 2008, the letter stated, “After a thorough investigation, it has been determined that we are unable to approve your fraud claim because...” But, we found the fact that the transfers from the fraud account were fraudulent.
On November 18, 2008, I requested the details of the transactions but you never responded.
At the early stage, a careful investigation could have cleared the frauds. Then, you would not have to cause so much harassment toward us. Please provide information who opened it when, where, and how? Which bank staff handled it?
SUPPRESS PAPER STATEMENT ON JUNE 5, 2007
It was an act of ID thieves which intercepted the mail and caused further troubles to us. Why did you not check why it was “suppressed”? Who? Which bank staff handled it? The bank should be able to trace the telephone number or other sources of the contact. Citibank very quickly presented such data to us. I am assuming that you have sophisticated computer systems that collect and store transaction information.
On September, 2007, we received the fraud statements on the accounts of June, July, and August of 2007 when we demand them because of the “suppression”. But, you never clearly answered our requests to clarify the frauds.
Ignoring the frauds, you just criminalized an innocent family and violated our civil rights as well as our privacy.
POLICE REPORT
On October 31, 2007, in the letter, Mirjana Petrovic stated that “it tried to reach you many times in letter or phone calls.”
That was not true. It was a false statement because I was never contacted with such frequency prior to this letter.
Once Mirjana Petrovic responded to my letter in such an alarming and vicious manner. It stated, “we need to discuss the copy of the police report whether Paul Sone has been named as the suspect.”
In another occasion from a phone call, Petrovic boldly stated that my son was the primary suspect. Since then, many times I requested the police report. But, I had not received any response from Petrovic. Such defamatory statements were made against an innocent person regardless the bank’s failure to clean up the false charges.
Once I wrote to a bank staff to remove Mirjana Petrovic from the bank since this person made such damaging remarks against an innocent person.
You are the chairman for Customer Advocate. You have a fiduciary duty to protect your customer. I respectfully request you send to us the copy of the police report. The bank defamed us without any cause. Please let me have the police report. I believe you have a beloved family too as we do. The bank should not criminalize any innocent family that is beyond your privilege. You as a high ranking bank officer should examine the incidents.
The account is charged off as a loss to the bank on June 30, 2008. Disposing the innocent victims with the criminalized merchandize without cause is unfair and violating our civil rights.
Now, you advised me to contact your agent about it. When I receive your response to this letter, I might contact the agent if necessary.
Please re-evaluate your letter of January 15 and re-examine all of my communications with the bank frauds and complete the investigation, including the events of falsely accusing my son’s case too, especially at Bank of America, Phoenix, Arizona.
BANK OF AMERICA, PHOENIX, AZ
PRIMA FACIE EXTORTION CASE
According to your letter, it is surprising to learn that the thieves tactically often fraudulently used my son’s name in relation with his parents’ accounts.
But you did not want to reveal the frauds committed against him at the Bank of America, Phoenix, Arizona and others. It is a prima facie criminal case. You have the fiduciary duty to investigate and clear this matter. The high ranking banking officers seem to have been involved in this extortion, navigating through an anarchic district court system, which totally lacks civility in this free society. The criminals removed even the fund from his parent’s account at another bank relating with the fraud occurred at your bank in his name. It seems to resemble a kind of Madoff dance.
We believe that the Victim’s Assistant Unit, at Bank of America, Phoenix, Arizona, would have the viable information because it has the data from us since it requested the information from us for its own investigation. But, it suddenly stopped communicating with us.
You must act promptly to clear this matter too because this matters with the honor of your bank and your customers. Criminalizing the innocent customer could not bring a lasting benefit to the bank. Again, you must understand it is a prima facie extortion case.
COMPTROLLER
The banks are not helpful to us, since we are victims under immense distress without resolving the frauds. And, recently we filed a formal complaint with the Comptroller against the bank thieveries committed in our family names. Citibank, Chase, and American Express responded very quickly to act against the thieveries and stopped the accounts in a few days. Citibank even traced the con man’s stolen use of our home phone number to open the fake account. You could have traced the fraudsters and arrest them.
The bank has a fiduciary duty to protect client’s confidential personal and account information and could have taken some reasonable steps to prevent these thefts. It failed. The Banking is in a business based on trust, and it violated that trust in our cases.
If you are short-handed, then hire some smart high school students so that your investigation could catch these crooks. If other banks cleared the frauds so quickly, so you could do the same. The bank’s Ponzi scheme is victimizing America including us.
You are responsible to clear all the frauds diligently and quickly—this is the bank’s professional responsibility. We spent thousands of precious hours and anxious days and months for the deceptive bank transactions which are, I believe, largely responsible for the sinking America today too. The financial industry in the United States is in crisis. We should help America to be liberated from the capitulation of con artists. But critical time seems to be running out.
We would appreciate your advice.
Sincerely yours,
Chae S. Sone Kyung Kim Sone Paul M. Sone
Enclosure
Cc. Comptroller
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------
ASTORIA SAVINGS BANK (Fake accounts)
Mr. Richard E. Denby
Office of Thrift supervision. Operations Center Monday, February 23, 2009
30 Montgomery Street. Jersey city, NJ 07302
RE: Astoria Savings bank
Case No.0101032009
Chae S. Sone, Kyung Kim Sone, Paul M. Sone
Checking account no. 8310655236
CD account no. 9001014578
Dear Sir:
The Astoria bank’s letter of February 5, 2009 in response to your inquiry concerning the fraud on our accounts seems to lacking the factual analysis of the frauds. Astoria seems to need your encouragement to a proper investigative approach on the matter. Banking frauds make America sinking.
I. CD account no. 9001014578
Paul Sone was the beneficiary of it. But the bank stated it as a joint account that was not true. The bank should investigate who changed it into a joint account.
II. Checking account no. 8310655236
1. The bank stated that it Preauthorized $23,163.44 for it from CD account between July 6 and August 6, 2005.
2. It should investigate who preauthorized for the account. We did not do it. Someone violated our privacy
3. The bank failed to pay attention to our fraud claims.
4. The bank should find out who preauthorized? Male or female. Now it is bank’s responsibility for releasing freely its money in Paul’s name to the unknown guys.
` 5. For the bank have the fraudulent transaction records which we received after the fact in September or October. You should be able to investigate it as it is bank’s duty.
6. How preauthorized? By fax, phone, , Astoria should have the number which could be traced the person spent money and the location to find if ID theft
7. Bank staff; who handled the transfers should have sensed if it was fraud.
8. Dates; specific dates on which any actions occurred.
Most transaction were done on Internet, in those cases, the person requested should be able to be identified according to the place of origin by the bank.
9. Citibank and Chase Bank cases identify ID thieves used our home phone number to open a account in Paul’s name and closed the accounts.
10. These written records could trace the authorizer and abusers.
III. Bank mishandled the fraud report
1. Unavailable/Insufficient funds notice between June 27 and August 1, 2005 mailed to you.
2. When Paul Sone received the note, he went into the bank and closed the account. I filed this report in the bank form. I never heard from the bank about the result of investigation since the form submitted.
3. Our fraud reports submitted to the police, FBI, and Federal Trade Commission which were for the multiple frauds among our six different banks. We did not hear from them about the results.
4. If the bank does not do its own investigation, who could solve the criminal problem as it should first produce the evidences?
5. $712.24 stolen money from the CD account used for the checking account.
I believe it is the bank’s responsibility to restitute it to the account as it released the fund illegally without our authorization. (Please check the evidences)
6. Ms. Hodes did not respond to my letter of Sept 5, 2008? By the time, all frauds were already known to her and to the bank. Why did she not respond to the letter as you did on February 5, 2009?
“You did not discuss the possibility of unauthorized
activity on you account with her.”
It is inaccurate statement. Please check the complaint filed by Paul Sone with the bank.
7. She should have been able to answer above mentioned letter of Sept. 5, 2008 by investigating the situation even if her appointment was not within the troubled period. But she ignored the letter which appeared to be irresponsible, prejudicial and disturbing to us
IV. Stolen money $712.24
1. Please open the investigation on the unauthorized transactions of
the accounts. And restitute $712.24 and other fees. Paul Sone was the beneficiary of the CD account but a joint one.
It is Bank of America’s fraud case. Someone used the money from Paul’s account. But the bank sued him. The court arbitrarily ruled default judgment against Paul without verifying the evidences although he did not have any debt.
2. The bank of America is under the investigation of the Comptroller. Just we have to wait the outcome and the court review.
3. You advised us to check with the merchants for the preauthorized transactions. It seems to be too harsh. How we could be responsible for the money the bank freely released to the thieves without Paul’s written authorization?
There was no balance. There was no need for us to do so.
4. Aren’t the bank the keeper of our money?
It has the fiduciary duty to protect the customer’s interest.
5. The rules of FDAPA requires the bank should present to us the written evidence of the account application signed by us.
If all state and Federal rules allow you freely withdraw money from zero balance without the customer’s authorization, as you understood, how the bank customers like us to pay the stolen funds? I do not believe that USA is that smart make money from Astoria as such.
IV. HOLD
1. Bank of America got a default judgment against Paul, as he failed to pay the debt on the thieves’ fake account in his name. It will be resolved when the frauds are traced.
American banking system is in a chaos according to our experience as there are no responsible administrators for the financial establishments. The situation calls for the brave bankers to reform the crime oriented financial system.
We hope that your office kindly advise the bank to diligently investigation the frauds for fair resolution.
Sincerely.
Chae S. Sone Kyung Kim Sone, Paul M. Sone
REPLY TO ASTORIA
Monday, March 16, 2009
Mr. Michael R. Lechleider
Vice President
Astoria Savings Bank
One Astoria Plaza
Lake Success, NY 11047
Dear Mr. Michael R. Lechleider
According to our experiences on the various incidents, the bank managements are out of control and unqualified people sitting there doing work actually without knowing how to do it right.
I have prepared a lengthy paper in relation with our cases to address to the political leaders. Thatched a copy of it for your review. Although you are not directly involved in these banks. Some one like your position should invent the new methods of banking system to meet the challenges of the dynamic cyber age progresses. It seems to us the banking system is under seize of the criminals, lawyers and bank insiders. You should be able to help the government to catch those criminal.
I & II. Amended Signature Card
Originally in CD account number 9001014578, Paul M. Sone registered as Beneficiary. But your letter indicated that, on May 25, 2005, Paul changed it as named secondary joint owner. However, it was not true. We did not change it because there was no reason to do so. It further sated,
“An amended signature card was signed by Kyung
Kyung Sone and Paul Sone reflecting the change.”
We wish to verify the signatures on the amended signature card and the name of the staff who took the process of the change. For someone should have met with us.
Please kindly send to us a copy of the signature card and the name of the staff.
Fraud was informed to the Bank &
Transaction Records
On January 23, 2008, when Kyung Sone went to renew the matured certificate, Kyung was informed that the money withdrawn. It was a new information to Kyung. I denied it and requested the transaction records. Then Staff printed them on the bankbook, you can see them on the record, renewal date 1/23/2008.
This fact was mentioned our letter of February 23rd, it was not mentioned in your March 11th letter, evidently failed to review of the fraudulent transactions on the bank book. (6/9/2005 - 8/9/005)
We did not have any such transaction records at the time; but my oral demand for the records should be sufficient to alert the bank staff for investigation. But it did not do anything about the fraud.
Therefore, it is not correct when it states that the fraud was not reported to the bank, Simply it did not pay attention to the fraud information even though you sent the transaction records to us.
Paul went to the bank in Hicksville in response to the over drafted account. The staff just said it transacted in foreign countries. Although Paul was told, a later notification, it never followed up. Yet the bank did not investigate further.
Hodes appears very irresponsive to the fraud problems, ignoring any reaction to the
letter of September 5, 2008.
Preauthorization as Fraud
This fact the bank first time informed to us on February 5, 2008, in response to the Office of Thrift Supervisor. It stated,
“Unless we are informed by the customer that a transaction
may be fraudulent, bank personnel does not have the ability
to detect fraudulent activity occurred.”
Our responses disagree with the quoted statement. For the bank
was sufficiently informed timely manner as described above as in the l
Preauthorization on Internet
“...it appears that the preauthorization was conducted electronically,
no bank personnel involved in creating preauthorized debits.”
Your letter seems to suggest the bank is not responsible as it did not involve directly as it was done on Internet. We disagree.
If one follows your reasoning, anybody could take out money from anybody’s account in your bank if the account opened electronically.
If so, any smart insiders could make fortune if they do it on Internet.
Most of all, the bank had our contracted account with the bank, in order words, you are fiduciary of our accounts – account data, our personal records in your guard. Also you operate the computer system and electric bills with bank’s expenses. So the bank is responsible to protect us as customers.
If the bank maintains this reasoning, Astoria is very very dangerous place for the customers to deposit money.
Our understanding is that the bank violated our privacy and property rights.
It is liable for the fraud on accounts.
The bank but us has to contact the merchants as you released the bank money to them in a thievery process in your own volition as other banks do. Your Astoria bank and the thieves used our name without authorization.
Pattern of the thieves
The patter is as follows; open the account real or fake account numbers on line, often our home phone number used on another phone, intercept the mail and merchandize or use forged checks involves - 7 banks involved in our family members’ name.
Our experience indicate that Citibank is most efficient to clear the identify fraud, even tracing even the stolen use of our home phone, stopped the fraud within a week. Commerce bank could not produce even the fraudulent transaction records.
The copies of forged checks indicated Bank of America V.P. sent to prove the cashing. But he failed to recognize the differences of the signatures on the cashed checks for the same name.
Astoria has enough data to trace the Criminal Tacks and help effectively the
investigation to clear the mess for our accounts
Your letter reflects a very dangerous situation of banking art in this nation under the economic crisis – it may be just a beginning of the U.S.A. decline that the fact should be informed to our government leaders, including the President Obama to save America. America needs somebody for the rescue.
III & V. $712.24
The banking regulations you sent doesn’t see to recognize the validity of internet account preauthorization without the real owner’s authorization. If it does, it is very dangerous open doors to the ID thieves and other con men..
Restraining Notices
It is a con artist’s work. We do not owe money, but this wise guy a default judgment against Paul who did not have the account at Bank of America. Mr. Lewis should be fired or promoted accordingly defending who rules the banking industry, Taliban. Madoffs or any other wise guys. The court system seems to be under their control.
Sales Slips
The bank could check back to verify the buyers as other banks do in thievery cases and could catch the criminals.
Remaining Questions
Your letter seems to raise the following questions:
Who opened the amended account? We want verify it.
Who preauthorized its overdraft?
Why Hodes did not respond to the inquiry by the customer?
Again, the bank was well informed on the frauds timely manner on February 23, 2005
Thank you very for your assistance. Please help the problem to be resolved.
Need of Cyber Age Bankers
My cases could present to you and your staff the banking needs
some new ideas for the secure operations.
Kyung Kim, Paul M. Sone, Chae S. Sone
2 Woodbury Court Hicksville, NY 111801
Cc.
Richard Denby
Compliance & Consumer Affairs Manager
Phone: (201) 413-7316
Fax: (201) 413-7541
E-mail: richard.denby@ots.treas.gov
CHASE BANK (Fake accounts)
Comptroller of the Currency
1303 McKinney St. Suite 3450
Houston, Tx 77010-9050
February 23, 2009
RE: Chase Bank Comptroller Case #845449
Accounts# 4992 ; 8650 ; 1969
On February 5, 2009, the Chase Bank’s written report to the Comptroller was defective. We are waiting for the next report hopefully to clear all the matter under the supervision of the Comptroller.
When we reported to Chase about ID thefts of Visa Platinum #8650. Chase bank card service at Wilmington, De., determined the account was fraud and closed. (10/24/2007). The transaction records indicated account numbers 1969 and 8650 involved. Since then we did not have any contact from the bank on the matter.
The bank’s letter in connection with the Comptroller’s investigation brought up accounts 8650 and 4992 in addition to 1969 since the close.
Why he did change account 1969 to others after he determined the account was fraud.
Its change and the charge off never reported to us.
Isn’t it an insider job?
The bank’s initial mistake was to open the account in Chae S. Sone’s name without an identification, and then cashing a forged check for $1,000, without verification.
The sales’ slips were fraudulent ones, signed by the thief, not by Paul M. Sone.
Your inconsistencies and poor judgment are costly to us and to the government.
Why now the bank revives the forged checks or sales’ records although previously determined it frauds?
Then the bank hires the collection agency to harass us innocent people.
Our ID theft problem involved with about 6 banks. Bank of America is in a mess. It could not verify the frauds in a systematic way. We have to see how it works out. This guy used the same tactics – opened account in my name and added my son Paul as authorized user. He used our home phone number on his own phone to open account on line.
Bank of America honored about 6 forged checks which had all mismatched signatures. Banker’s carelessness caused so much trouble to us, the innocent common people.
According to our experience, Astoria, Capital One, Commerce, Bank of America is among the most anarchic establishment. This indicates why America is sinking. Somebody should be able to fix it.
We just pray God for salvation from the ID thieves at this moment.
We have faced about 5 lawsuits because of these smart guys.
The civil authorities do not care even if we reported to them about the problems.
Unless the bankers adopt new cyber techniques for the bank management, the Obama stimulus package will never work – enriching only the con man and outdated bankers.
We appreciate your assistance.
Sincerely,
Chae S. Sone, Kyung Kim Sone, Paul M. Sone
Enc.
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ID thieve are still working like Talibans
Once I sent the messages to the U.S. senators and government officers, indicating the necessity of the new law to control the sophisticated identity thieves. Only New York senator Charles Schumer gracefully informed me the he was going to introduce a new legislation. Since the passage of the new law, the frequency of the fake collection mails or phone calls drastically declined. But there is no guarantee that the old bugs would not return as the bedbugs.
Now Mel S. Harris and Associates, LLC, attorneys come back to call us to pay the debt to the Chase Bank ID1022045-1
Yesterday, a not young veteran woman called with very nasty voice, pressingly so I gave her FBI phone number. She asked me who they are. It is agency that takes care of our business. That is agency established by Mr. Barrack Obama.
She sounded like very well trained nasty caller.
Whenever young girls made calls other occasions. I feel very sorry to learn such nice young girls having such dirty jobs. I usually advice them nicely to find some other respectable jobs.
Then NACO agency very eagerly harass us with very frequent phone calls. Very insensitive people do that.
Only a strong government could exterminate those ID thieve networks.
Please give this information to the government authority to arrest them as they have the connection records to make America good country. God bless you all. Chae S. Sone
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