COLUMBUS – State officials have issued a warning to Ohioans about a sophisticated identity theft scheme involving BMV’s across the country where fraudsters use stolen personal information to get driver’s licenses or state ID cards.
The scheme, which was first identified in Texas earlier this year, involves the use of stolen personal information to answer online Bureau of Motor Vehicles security questions and gain access to individual BMV accounts. Once inside an individual’s account, identity thieves then request a reprinted driver’s license or identification card be mailed to a new address.
The state says it has already had to notify 90 Ohioans that their personal information was used to obtain, or attempt to get, a fraudulent driver’s license, though no state-operated data systems have been breached.
“This scheme is incredibly concerning, not only because criminals are ordering up legitimate driver’s licenses but because they can use these cards and the stolen personal information to potentially access your bank account,” said Ohio Department of Public Safety director Andy Wilson.
Anyone who receives a postcard from the Ohio BMV telling them about an address change that they did not request should contact the BMV at 1-844-644-6268, Wilson said.
They should also file a report with their local law enforcement agency, change the answers to their online security questions and place an initial fraud alert on their credit file, Wilson said.