Man Claims Signature on 7-Year-Old Official Document was For
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EDINBURG – A Rio Grande Valley resident believes a forged signature is the reason behind months of troubles.
Oscar Mares says he’s tried applying for a line of credit but has been unable to because he’s denied every time.
He says when he looked into the reason for his denials, he found a documented dated back to 2010 with a signature that resembles his.
“I would get denial letters in the mail saying 'Well, unfortunately, we can't extend credit to you for these reasons.’ One of the reasons was bankruptcy. I've never filed for bankruptcy,” he told CHANNEL 5 NEWS.
Mares says his credit took a hit after the document went undiscovered for nearly seven years.
He reported the suspected fraudulent activity to local police, FBI and his bank.
CHANNEL 5 NEWS asked Attorney Sergio Sanchez if Mares took the right steps when finding out someone potentially forged his signature. He says those are the immediate steps folks should take if they suspect identity theft or forgery.
“A simple theft in an amount of less than $15,000 is just a misdemeanor, but a forgery on any amount, any amount whatsoever, is a felony,” he explained.
He advised others to try and find a motive for why they believe someone would forge their signature to help initiate an investigation.
“A forgery is a state crime. However, what’s the result of the forgery? It’s usually going to be somebody has done it for a reason. What’s the benefit to that individual?” he said.
Sanchez says time is critical in these cases, so the earlier you report it the better odds of tracking down the person or persons behind the criminal activity.
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