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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us July 7, 2006 Bank account thefts up to 80 By Chris Conrad For The Tidings The number of people throughout Jackson County reporting thefts from their bank accounts has swelled to 80, with police expecting more victims to come forward in the next few weeks. “We’re probably just seeing the tip of the iceberg on this one,” said Medford police Lt. Tim George. Detectives are searching for a connection between the victims that may lead them to the source where their debit card information was stolen. The information is being used by someone in Southern California to make withdrawals of hundreds of dollars on each account. “The idea is to figure out the common denominator, but that takes a lot of manpower,” George said. Medford police officer Brandon Bloomfield said detectives have not pinpointed one specific spot where the information leaked, though places such as banks and grocery stores are potential sources. “The bulk of the victims live in Ashland, but we also have reports in Medford, Eagle Point, White City, Phoenix, Talent and Shady Cove,” he said. The thefts have affected customers from four different banks and one credit union, including Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, Key Bank and Benton County Schools Credit Union. The name of the fourth bank was not immediately available. Most victims said withdrawals of a few hundred dollars were made between one and four times a day. “One way someone could do this is by taking the stolen card information and making a fake card,” Bloomfield said. “The information could have been stolen here and then sold to someone in California. But that’s the big question: How did this information get captured?” Area agencies are working closely with Los Angeles detectives. The ATMs used to make the withdrawals are located in and around Torrence and Monrovia, Calif., Bloomfield said. Wells Fargo spokesman Tom Unger said customers should check their accounts regularly online. Even though identity theft victims will be reimbursed by the bank, it could take a long time to sort through the damage to get things straight. “Always remember, you have to protect your personal identification number like it’s a small baby,” Unger said. . DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Advertisement .:Advertisements:. Site Search: RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams