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Chicago man arrested in ID theft scheme that stretched to Metro Detroit
David Williams has been charged with identity theft, stealing a financial transaction device without consent, and no operator's license on person after his arrest last weekend. The Chicago man appeared in court the same day and was given a $75,000 cash bond after his arraignment, which follows an investigation by Troy police into a complex identity theft scheme that targeted victims around Metro Detroit.
(FOX 2) - Troy police have arrested one man in connection with what they believe is a multi-state identity theft case that involves several victims receiving fraudulent text messages and being told their debit cards were compromised.
Those replacement cards would then be intercepted by the suspect, identified as a 30-year-old man from Illinois.
Big picture view:
David Williams has been charged with identity theft, stealing a financial transaction device without consent, and no operator's license on person after his arrest last weekend.
The Chicago man appeared in court the same day and was given a $75,000 cash bond after his arraignment, which follows an investigation by Troy police into a complex identity theft scheme that targeted victims around Metro Detroit.
Williams was identified after a man attempted to intercept a package from a UPS driver, leading police to provide surveillance at a home where the package was supposed to be delivered.
The package was delivered to the intended recipient, but police also observed the same man attempting to steal a package from the porch.
Dig deeper:
Police later learned the resident's debit card had been compromised and new replacement cards that were supposed to arrive were the target of the suspect.
His attempt to intercept the card led police to further investigation, which found multiple victims around Metro Detroit receiving fraudulent texts from spoofed accounts telling them their debit cards had been compromised.
The replacement cards that were sent out would be intercepted and stolen by the suspect, who would then withdraw the funds from the victims' accounts.
After interviewing victims, Troy police executed search warrants and reviewed digital evidence to connect Williams to the scheme.
What's next:
Williams' bond was set at $75,000 or 10% cash and is expected to be back in court next week. He has an extensive history of prior convictions for identity theft and credit card fraud.
The Source: A news release from Troy police was cited while reporting this story.