ID theft victim spends nearly five years getting her name back

Alicia Melendez wanted a job that didn't involve flipping burgers, clearing tables or sprucing up the local golf course.

So, four years ago Melendez -- who was 16 at the time -- applied for a position at Target.

Instead of escaping a world of grease or grass stains, that job application led to a situation that has taken almost five years to resolve.

"I was the only person in that room who could do the job," Melendez, now 20, said of the Target position. "But after they did a background check and a credit check, I didn't get it."

Melendez did not have bad credit, a criminal record or any other blemish next to her name.

A red flag was raised, though, because someone else had been using Melendez's Social Security number since she was 11.

That person, police say, was Ambrosio DeJesus-Flores, 39, of West Chicago, who was charged Tuesday with identity theft. In Illinois, identity theft is a felony. DeJesus-Flores faces four to 15 years in prison if convicted.

Police say DeJesus-Flores bought the number in Chicago for $200.

Over nine years, police say, he used the number to secure a $149,000 mortgage on his home, maintain employment, receive cell phone service and register two vehicles.

At the same time, Melendez says she was denied numerous employment opportunities because of misinformation from another person using her number and spent countless hours trying to clear her name.

"It was frustrating because he had a job and was making money," Melendez said. "And what did I get? Nothing. For something that wasn't my fault."

Melendez's mother, Shirley Short, said the ordeal has prevented her daughter from getting well-paid jobs, which usually require credit and background checks.

"It is fine working in a restaurant; she's making money," Short said. "But she wants to go to college and that's not going to get her there."

The Federal Trade Commission reported that in 2006, identity theft complaints were submitted by 10,080 Illinois residents. That same report estimated about 4 percent were under age 18.

A special hotline established by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan in 2006 received 6,058 complaints in 2007 and has taken 160 calls so far this year, said Natalie Bauer, deputy press secretary for Madigan's office.

The crime was the top-ranked complaint received by the attorney general's office in 2006, accounting for 16 percent of all complaints, Bauer said.

Though Melendez and Short said they thought the problem had been solved after Target notified them of the theft, DeJesus continued to use Melendez's identification number for another four years.

Melendez said she was advised to contact the local Social Security office to clear up the mess.

The Social Security office printed a new card with the same number, but with her middle name spelled out, said Melendez, holding up two copies of her Social Security card.

But the new card did not purge DeJesus-Flores from Melendez's records. He continued to use the number until he was arrested on Tuesday, police said.

A break in the case came after Melendez recently tried to claim Social Security and unemployment benefits after a car accident injury prevented her from working.

"They were the ones who told me to go to the police," Melendez said. "After I did that, they caught the guy in two weeks. I wish I had gone to the police sooner."

Protect your identity

• Be sure to properly dispose of papers that contain personal information. Tear up or shred credit card receipts, bank statements, expired credit cards and credit offers.

• Only give out your Social Security number when required. Do not have it printed on your driver's license or personal checks. Do not carry your Social Security card with you.

• Be careful when leaving letters in your mailbox to be picked up by a postal carrier. Thieves can easily steal checks intended for another and cash them.

• Reduce the number of cards you carry to a minimum. Never carry your birth certificate or passport.

• Get a copy of your credit report at least once a year to check for unauthorized activity.

• Always be aware of others around you when you are using your PIN number.

Compiled by Daily Herald legal affairs writer Christy Gutowski