Hundreds of fraudulent bank accounts opened for Sandhills residents
NEWS, WRAL NEWS, COVERAGE YOU
CAN COUNT ON.
>>> THE MOORE COUNTY SHERIFF'S
OFFICE NOW ESTIMATING MORE THAN
1000 PEOPLE IN THE SANDHILLS
REGION HAD THEIR IDENTITY
STOLEN RECENTLY, ALL OF THIS
COMES AFTER PHONY BANK ACCOUNTS
WERE OPENED IN THEIR NAMES.
TODAY, 5 ON YOUR SIDE, KEELY
ARTHUR WAS IN ABERDEEN WHERE
THE FBI, LAWMAKERS, AND VICTIMS
ALL GOT TOGETHER.
>>> THE CLOSEST TD BANK IS 100
MILES AWAY IN SOUTH CAROLINA,
SO WHEN COUNTLESS RESIDENTS IN
THE SANDHILLS REGION GOT THESE
MAILERS WITH CHECKING ACCOUNTS,
THEY WERE SHOCKED, AND TODAY,
THEY WANT SOME ANSWERS.
>>> HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, MANY
RETIRED, LINED UP OUTSIDE OF A
REC CENTER IN ABERDEEN.
MANY, IF NOT ALL, WERE
CLUTCHING THESE GREEN ENVELOPES
FROM TD BANK.
>> IT WAS JUST LIKE WHAT YOU
WOULD GET IN THE MAIL.
>> Reporter: SHE RECEIVED HERS
EARLIER THIS MONTH.
>> OF COURSE I THOUGHT THAT WAS
STRANGE BECAUSE I HAD NEVER
APPLIED FOR ANY CHECKING
ACCOUNT.
>> IT HAD YOUR NAME ON IT?
>> FULL NAME, ADDRESS.
>> Reporter: SHE IS ONE OF MORE
THAN 1000 PEOPLE ACCORDING TO
ESTIMATES FROM THE MOORE COUNTY
SHERIFF'S OFFICE WHO HAD THIS
HAPPEN TO THEM.
THE FBI, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND
STATE LAWMAKERS INCLUDING STATE
SENATOR, THOMAS McINNIS WHO
REPRESENTS THE AREA, WERE ON
HAND AT FRIDAY'S MEETING TO
ANSWER QUESTIONS, INCLUDING
MINE.
>> WHAT HAPPENED?
>> WE THINK SOME ORGANIZATION
WAS HACKED.
THAT THE ADDRESSES AND ALL OF
THE INFORMATION POSSIBLY WENT
ON THE DARK WEB, ANOTHER
ORGANIZATION PICKED IT UP, OR
BOUGHT IT, AND STARTED OPENING
THESE ACCOUNTS.
>> Reporter: SO FAR NO ONE HAS
LOST ANY MONEY OF THEIR OWN,
BUT SOME OF THE ACCOUNTS HAVE
OVERDRAFT FEES ASSOCIATED WITH
THEM.
>> THAT HAS A VERY HIGH
POTENTIAL TO DO DAMAGE TO HER
CREDIT RATING.
WE CAN'T HAVE OUR FOLKS TO BE
SUFFERING AND HAVING A DAMAGED
CREDIT RATING, BECAUSE OF SOME
STUPID HACK THAT IS GOING ON AT
A BANK OR SOMETHING SOMEWHERE
ELSE.
>> Reporter: THE SENATORS TELLS
US THAT TD BANK HAS PROMISED
ALL OF THE VICTIMS A YEAR OF
CREDIT PROTECTION.
SO IF YOU GOT ONE OF THESE
MAILERS, YOU WILL ALSO GET A
LETTER IN THE MAIL EXPLAINING
HOW TO ESTABLISH THAT.
IN ABERDEEN, KEELY ARTHUR, 5 ON
YOUR SIDE.
>>> IF YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE A
VICTIM OF THIS SCAM, WE SHARE
HOW TO REPORT IT ON OUR WRAL