Alameda police say 900 victims uncovered in identity theft investigation

By Tim Fang

Authorities in the East Bay said they have uncovered nearly 1,000 suspected victims of identity theft during an investigation into stolen mail.

On Monday, Alameda Police announced results of the investigation, which began in spring when a single victim was notified by a credit bureau of alleged fraudulent activity. Officers said the activity included credit inquiries related to vehicles, property rentals and other businesses.

“The victim began closely monitoring their credit reports and discovered that someone had obtained their personal information and was attempting to take out loans in their name over several months,” police said in a statement.

According to police, an initial investigation revealed what they described as an “elaborate identity theft scheme,” which was likely connected to a previous mail theft in Alameda. Detectives said they discovered personal information and identification cards belonging to more than 900 potential victims.

Alameda officers executed a search warrant at a San Francisco home last week as part of the investigation. Police said the search yielded mail, ID cards, bank cards and personal documents belonging to what they described as “numerous” individuals.

Officers said fraudulent documents, along with narcotics, drug paraphernalia, firearms and ammunition were also found.

Police said they are working to contact those whose personal information was recovered and have referred the case to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office.

No arrests have been announced.

Officers offered several tips to thwart identity thieves, including regularly monitoring credit reports, signing up for Informed Delivery with the U.S. Postal Service and placing a free fraud alert by contacting one of the three major credit bureaus.

“Taking a few minutes to monitor your accounts, know what mail is coming to your home, and acting quickly when something looks suspicious can make a significant difference in protecting your identity,” police said.