SAN ANTONIO – KSAT has discovered that identity theft and fraud cases continue to rise.
Earlier in April, San Antonio police arrested Cassandra Trevino, 42, on multiple charges, including fraud and exploitation of the elderly, records show.
Police said Trevino stole the identity of an 87-year-old victim and went car shopping.
Trevino somehow obtained a driver’s license with the victim’s name, but with an altered birth date.
KSAT spoke with the Better Business Bureau, which says cases like these have become more common nationwide.
“We saw close to a million instances of identity theft reported just in a year from 2023-2024,” said Jason Meza, senior director for the Better Business Bureau. “That’s too many.”
In 2024, there were over 6,500 identity fraud reports from Texas, according to the Better Business Bureau. Statistics show that reports continue to rise.
“We’ve seen so many instances of South Texans losing, not just the money in their wallet, but their identity,” Meza said. “At that point, it takes years to recover. It’s a heartbreaking process.”
While older people are common targets for identity thieves, Meza said that anyone can have their personal information stolen.
“Our younger consumers tend to overshare, swipe left, swipe right, and data goes out the door quickly with technology,“ Meza said. ”I would tell you that everybody is at risk."
Whether you are older or younger, you can learn better practices to protect yourself from identity theft.
Bankers in San Antonio say the protection starts with keeping passwords and other personal information private.
“Look at your bank statements, your credit card statements, see if there’s anything unusual, or anything that you need to question. If so, call the company, ask what the charge is for and make sure that you recognize it,” said Tricia Richardson, consumer operations vice president for Frost Bank.
It’s essential not to overshare personal information and keep important documents tucked away in a safe place.
You can report any concerns and file a claim at the Better Business Bureau or go to the Federal Trade Commission to report identity theft.
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