By Jennifer La Lima
In 1998, Curro stopped in North Carolina on the way home from a trip to Florida. Her wallet was stolen. It held her driver's license, college ID, Social Security card and bank card. Her mother, Angela Curro, immediately reported the lost items. A year later, Denise received a collection notice from a North Carolina lighting and power company. She then realized that her identity had been stolen.
"For the past seven years, I have been receiving monthly collection notices from at least 48 different accounts set up in my name," Curro said. "No one has been able to help me put a stop to it. If this woman who lives under my name commits a crime, I could be arrested."
The person who stole Curro's identity has established 19 residences in North Carolina using variations of Curro's name. Angela Curro has endured years of fear and frustration along with her daughter, who was too young at the time of the incident to deal with the legal matters involved.
Angela said that neither she nor her daughter has paid a single bill from the North Carolina accounts. Still, identity theft is costly. "The time and money that goes into this is unbelievable. I have to co-sign everything," Angela said. "I've had a hard time finding a lawyer to work with us because it happened in another state. We just don't know where to go from here. It's crazy."
According to North Carolina records, Denise Curro has a spouse. She fears that she will be unable to legally marry in the future, since records show that she already has a husband. She has been told that she will never be able to own a house, take out a loan or obtain a credit card in her own name.
The Curro family has repeatedly contacted legal authorities in New York and North Carolina, as well as the FBI and detective services. Curro has provided proof that she was never a resident of North Carolina, and contacted local police in the town of Lumberton, where the incident occurred. Neither Lumberton nor New York police have been able to help her.
"I have also made many requests for a new Social Security number, but they will not issue one to me," Curro said. "I worry that when I reach retirement age, I won't be able to receive my Social Security. The woman who's using my number is older than I am, and I'm afraid she'll get it instead."
According to the Federal Trade Commission, a new Social Security number does not guarantee a clean credit history. The history under the original Social Security number can be combined with the new credit record, or the absence of a credit history can make it difficult to establish new credit.
A recently passed New York state law, supported by Sen. Charles Fuschillo Jr., a Republican of Merrick, makes it mandatory for companies that hold consumers' personal information to alert identity-theft victims when a security breach occurs. The law is called the Information and Security Breach and Notification Act. Curro said that although this legislation cannot help her, it will protect others before the damage is done.
Fuschillo, also a victim of identity theft, understands that the recovery period can be difficult. "What the Curros have been going through is terrible," he said. "Knowing that someone is out there with access to your private information is a very frightening experience. As consumers, we must be proactive. Individuals should ask about privacy policies before giving out a Social Security number. When information is lost or stolen, law enforcement should be contacted immediately, and a fraud alert should be placed on accounts."
Curro and her mother applaud the new legislation to protect future identity-theft victims. "It's an excellent law," said Curro. "I just wish it was in effect when it happened to me. Back then, people didn't understand how much damage could be done."
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