Credit card theft is not selective. It can happen almost anywhere. Including your neighborhood.
Rhonda Starr made her first appearance in Onslow County District Court on Monday. She faced 30 charges of identiy theft and two charges of financial card fraud.
After a five month investigation, we now know that Starr was helping her neighbor, Susan Heath, by picking up her mail. However, not all of Heath's mail made it into her hands. Particularly the credit card information.
"She used that credit card information to make purchases online," said Major Frank Terwilliger. "This has been occurring since September of last year through June of this year."
Warrants show that Starr racked up $4,000 in credit card purchases using Heath's identity from Rent-A-Center, US Cellular, and other companies. Susan Heath is the only vicitim listed on court documents pertaining Starr's Monday court appearance.
This inccident has some residents of the Richlands community where Starr lives a bit worried.
"I never thought anything like that could happen in this neighborhood," said Naoko Holt, a three year resident in the neighborhood. "People are very nice and friendly."
Sherriff's deputies reccomend that consumers shred their credit card statements if they do not intend to keep them and be certain that no personal information is thrown away without first being marked out.
Rhonda Starr will be back in court to enter her plea on November 23rd. |
