An Atlanta woman who wanted to test drive a BMW in another state was arrested after allegedly using the stolen identification of a woman from yet another state. The supposedly stolen information included the social security number and birth date of the other woman.
The 58-year-old accused was at a car dealership where she wanted to test drive a vehicle and allegedly provided the wrong identification. She tried to present the dealership with her own driver's license after that, but by then, it was too late. It was discovered that she already had been charged with fraud and forgery charges in Atlanta.
Despite skepticism by the judge, the accused insisted that she only wanted to test drive the vehicle and nothing more. However, she was charged with grand theft and fraud in this incident and is expected to be extradited to Georgia.
When someone is accused of committing fraud, the prosecution also must prove that the accused intended to defraud the alleged victim for financial gain. This may not always be easy to prove and an experienced fraud defense attorney may be able to assist the accused fight these fraud charges. These charges must be taken seriously and should be dealt with immediately; otherwise, they will follow the accused wherever he or she goes. In addition to this, criminal charges and accusations can affect the accused's personal and professional life. Just because someone is charged with something, however, does not mean he or she is guilty. Defendants have the right to contest these charges if they choose to do so. Atlanta residents should be aware of and exercise their right to their day in court.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Report: Wanted Atlanta woman used fake ID to test drive BMW," Alexis Stevens, May 22, 2014