A woman will face court next month charged with several fraud and identity theft offences on the state's Mid North Coast.
In December 2019, officers attached to Manning-Great Lakes Police District commenced an investigation into alleged identity theft and fraudulent banking transactions in the Taree area.
Following inquiries, about 9.50am yesterday (Wednesday 12 February 2020), police executed a search warrant at a Taree home, where they spoke with a 40-year-old woman.
During the search, police located and seized several documents.
Police will allege the 40-year-old woman stole the identity of a 59-year-old woman known to her, opened accounts in her name and transferred various funds into these accounts, including several disability pension payments and a bushfire disaster recovery payment.
She was arrested and taken to Taree Police Station, where she was charged with 11 offences, including:
- Dishonestly obtain property by deception (three counts)
- Deal with identity information to commit indictable offence (four counts)
- Publish false misleading material to obtain advantage (two counts)
- Obtain property by deception (two counts)
She has been refused bail to appear at Forster Local Court on Tuesday 17 March 2020.
Investigations are ongoing.
Anyone with information about any similar incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence.
