Is Napa really the state’s hotbed of identity theft and fraud?

According to a report published this month by the Federal Trade Commission, Napa County is first in the state in identify theft and third in fraud. According to the report, the FTC received 730 complaints of identity theft from Napa residents in 2007.

Napa Police Cmdr. Andy Lewis admits that Napa does have an identity theft problem, but questions the figures.

“When I saw these stats from the FTC it was very disturbing. I immediately started checking into the stats and I have some questions,” Lewis said.

According to Lewis, the FTC gathers its information from several contributors, such as the Better Business Bureau, credit bureaus and similar agencies. “There is no way that they corroborate their information. They do not verify it or analyze it, “ Lewis said. “They just take it at face value.”

Lewis said some of the complaints registered through the FTC could be duplicates. “A person could report an identity theft to the FTC and other agencies, so therefore one report could come up on the stats as several complaints, “ Lewis said.

“Believe me, I am not saying we don’t have an identity (theft) and fraud (problem) in Napa, I just don’t believe it is of the magnitude this report suggests.”

Lewis noted that local law enforcement agencies see far fewer complaints than the numbers registered with the FTC.

“Out of the 730 fraud complaints filed through the FTC, only 212 were ever filed as police report cases,” Lewis said. “And of the 404 identity theft reports filed in the city, only 107 cases were filed by the police department. These are the ones we investigate and follow.”

Complaints about fraud or identity theft also do not mean that a crime was committed. Many people make complaints when they receive suspicious e-mails, calls or letters, but before they make the mistake of giving away sensitive information.

Local law enforcement agencies have sponsored efforts to teach people to hold onto credit card and other information unless they initiate the transaction themselves.

“Napans are very well educated because of the outreach program we offer,” said Napa County Sheriff’s deputy Todd Hancock.

“We have conducted extensive programs to educate the Napa community about identity theft and fraud. They know about the FTC Web site and they use it. Many people who register complaints on the Web site are not victims. They may have received scam letters and not responded, but they report these incidents to the FTC and other reporting agencies. ... Many people file a complaint because they have been contacted by what they think is a scam or someone trying to get their personal information.”

Lewis said identity theft and fraud cases are rarely confined to a single county. “A Napa person could have their credit card or other documents with their identification stolen in another county, state or even country.”

Or, he said, the thefts may happen in Napa and the misuse of the information occurs elsewhere.

Lewis said that after he saw the FTC report, he contacted the police department in Greeley, Colo., which the FTC ranked as number two in identity theft.

“They have several huge meat-packaging plants in the city. They employ a very large number of immigrants, who could be in the country illegally. Those people can have several Social Security numbers under different names, which could lead to identity theft,” Lewis said.

Madera County, which comes in second next to Napa County for fraud, has a methamphetamine manufacturing problem. “I talked to the folks there, and they believe that is a huge factor that could affect its rating as number two in the identity theft in the FTC report,” he said.

Napa Deputy District Attorney Jose Rossi has prosecuted many identity theft and fraud cases in Napa County.

“We do have a problem in Napa County. It’s a statewide problem. But I don’t think our county has a problem beyond other counties. I am pleased our courts have taken the necessary steps to prosecute those who are guilty of these crimes,” Rossi said.

“Identity theft is not like someone who comes into your house and takes some of your belongings and leaves. If you have your identity stolen from your home, the crime against you could be committed against you anywhere in the country or even internationally,” Rossi said. “And believe me, if you are a victim of identity theft the road to getting things straightened out is a nightmare.”