Posted on 12/04/2004 4:47:27 PM PST by JesseJane
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A Red Cross employee and two other people were accused Friday of stealing the identities of about 40 blood donors and using the information to obtain about $268,000 in cash and merchandise.
In 2002 and 2003, Red Cross worker Danielle Baker, 33, of Collingswood, N.J., filched names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, telephone numbers and places of employment from the computer records of people who had participated in corporate blood drives in Philadelphia, U.S. Attorney Patrick Meehan said.
Harold J. McCoy III, 33, and Karynn R. Long, 36, of Dayton, Ohio, then used the information to obtain credit, cash counterfeit checks and get bank loans, Meehan said.
"The defendants zeroed in on people based on their employment with companies that paid well, knowing it was easier for people with high salaries to obtain credit," he said.
Many companies in the region canceled their blood drives as word of the identity thefts spread, Meehan said. That cost the Red Cross $455,000 and forced it to purchase blood from other parts of the country.
McCoy is in federal prison in New York on unrelated charges. It was unclear if Long and Baker had attorneys. They were expected to surrender next week.
"Sorry to say, but I've lost complete faith and respect in the Red Cross... Both American chapters and International. Please don't flame my comment."
No flames, just agreement. These people went over to the dark side at some point.
Give to the Salvation Army!
It's not a "flame-able" comment or post, JJ. Relax.
Always have, and will continue to.. thanks for your post ! :)
Thanks Annie!! :)
It will take a lot, if ever, before I even begin to respect those leeches.
As for the international Red Cross? I don't even want to waste time thinking about them!
Amen to that Publius... They have fallen to the dark side. We primarily donate to Veterans groups now.. We felt so 'ripped' after their actions after 9/11, we decided to watch and wait. Now we see.. they are not worth waiting for.
Red Cross and United Way = lefty thugs.
Why would anyone provide their SSAN, DOB and telephone number to the red cross???????? I have had no use for the red cross for decades and I certainly wouldn't trust them with such information as my SSAN, DOB or phone number.
There's a blank on the form.
Many people will just fill in the blanks, no questions asked.
Astonishing isn't it?
I'm not familiar with the goings on of the Red Cross. What has the organization done? I'm quite familiar with the United Way.
I washed my hands of them when they were worring about Sadam after we captured him. Also, it's hard to forget the fiasco for the 911 victims families.
We were brushed by a small hurricane several years ago in Louisiana and there was the Red Cross in our neighborhood with doughnuts, coffee, meals, etc. Nice, but no one needed it - it went to waste. Multiply that poor planning and add in the massive $$ overhead of Red Cross. This is where your money goes.
I give to the local DAV, Disabled Veterans http://www.dav.org/ and a local Miracle Flights for Kids. Everybody else goes to the end of the line.
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