TAMPA, Fla. – Teams of law enforcement officers conducted dozens of interviews today after receiving tips that individuals may be engaged in stolen identity tax refund fraud.  As part of Operation Knock and Talk, the Tampa Bay Identity Theft Alliance conducted 46 interviews that could be used to build cases against those stealing identities and using the information to submit fraudulent tax returns for the purpose of collecting refunds. As part of today’s operation, three suspects were arrested for identity theft. 
 
“So far this tax season, the Tampa Bay Identity Theft Alliance has followed up on nearly 50 leads and federal charges have been brought against 16 suspects, several search warrants have been served and 12 suspects were sentenced in federal court with sentences ranging from 60 months of probation to more than 12 years in prison,” said FDLE Tampa Bay Regional Operations Center Special Agent in Charge Rick Ramirez. 
 
“More than 60 law enforcement officers from 15 agencies participated in today’s operation and we’re not done yet,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Tampa Field Office Special Agent in Charge Jim Robnett.  “The Tampa Bay Identity Theft Alliance will continue to aggressively pursue these criminals.”
 
Today’s arrests:
 
Brittany Bowman, 24, 1116 Lumsden Point Blvd., Valrico, Fla.
Charges: organized fraud, criminal use of personal identification information, grand theft
Booked into Hillsborough County Jail
 
Christopher Daniels, 26, 4908 S. 82^nd Street, Tampa, Fla.
Charges: criminal use of personal identification information and grand theft
Booked into Hillsborough County Jail
 
The final arrest is sealed under a federal indictment.  The suspect is charged with aggravated identity theft, general conspiracy and theft of government property.
 
Five Simple Steps to Protect Your Identity:
 

• Do not throw away ATM receipts, credit statements, credit cards, or bank statements without first shredding them.
• Never give out personal information online simply because someone asks for it.
• Never give your credit card number over the telephone unless you initiated the call.
• Reconcile your bank account monthly and notify your bank of discrepancies immediately.
• Review a copy of your credit report at least once each year.

 
Members of the Tampa Bay Identity Theft Alliance participating in today’s operation:
 

• United States Attorney’s Office
• IRS
• FBI
• United States Postal Inspection Service
• United States Health and Human Services
• Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution
• FDLE
• State Attorney Mark Ober 
• Hillsborough, Hernando, Pasco and Polk County Sheriff’s Offices
• Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Brooksville Police Departments

 
For Further Information Contact:

Gretl Plessinger, Samantha Andrews or Steve Arthur
FDLE Office of Public Information
(850) 410-7001