(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Instead of celebrating her wedding anniversary, Lisle Trustee Sara Sadat was bombarded with phone calls and emails from people looking to buy her Jeep.
“In about one hour, I received over 20 phone calls not only offering me dollar amounts, but wanting to meet me, wanting to see the car.”
Her identity had been stolen.
“They knew my address. They knew my Social Security Number. They knew all the details that, you know, makes you your personal self,” Sadat told WBBM Newsradio on Wednesday.
Both Sadat’s car and house were put up for sale online in March, without her consent, she said.
She filed a report with the Lisle Police Department and criminal charges have been filed against one of her neighbors.
Now, the trustee is on a mission to keep others from becoming a victim.
“Be super vigilant,” she said. “Use strong passwords and make sure that you sign up for identity protections through whichever bank or whichever credit card you use.”
Experts also suggest securing mail by shredding credit card receipts, utility bills or any documents that may contain personal or account information.
Sadat said her experience makes her want to continue to serve the community even more.
“Just because something was taken away from you, doesn't make you less of a leader, more of a victim. What you end up doing is just making sure that you protect yourself and not let this happen again.”
Related
