This article brought to mind my one of my uncles.  He used to be a cop and was involved in investigations like these for more than a decade.  Out of the countless conversations we’ve had on the subject of crime (which is a lot, trust me!) one line stands out to me as particularly appropriate: “Crime comes when there is opportunity.”

This article makes me sick! I can’t imagine being this autistic kid and finding out that someone who I thought was my friend had so unscrupulously taken advantage of me. The way it goes, this teen managed to acquire several credit cards and other accounts using his friend’s Social Security number and DOB. He requested two cards for each account – one in his “friend’s” name, and one in his own. He used his own address or PO box for statements and bills and often included the name of his computer consulting business. This went on for a little while and this poor kid racked up $35,000 in debt!

Luckily, someone caught on and tipped off investigators and the teen now faces 24 felony charges including multiple counts of identity theft, false representation, theft of services and credit card fraud. Some of these charges carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine; others up to 20 years and $100,000.

Like my uncle used to say, “When you play, you pay.”