Daughter victimizes mother in identity theft scandal

Identity theft cases usually involve individuals who have no immediate connection, but in North Carolina, Tana Lavon Smith took advantage of her own mother, WBTV reports. Smith will face charges of identity theft after collecting unemployment checks under her mother's name, WBTV reports.   Smith's mother visited the Employment Security Commission Office in Lincolnton, North Carolina on April 7. When she verified her identification, ESCO told her that someone had been collecting her disability between January and April. The address provided by the fraudulent claimant was her daughter's, Tana. Smith collected More than $1,500 and was arrested on August 23. The consequences for identity theft can result in up to a five year sentence for first time offenders, however, Smith was released on a $9,500 bond. In North Carolina, approximately 6,000 cases of identity theft were reported in 2010, which ranks 24th per capita in the United States, according to the Federal Trade Commission.