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Tax fraud ring setup by national alarm seller

Sep 22, 2011 Karen Umpierre

Tax fraud ring setup by national alarm seller
Multiple employees from Tampa Signal, a company that sells home security products from well-known surveillance brand ADT, allegedly stole victims' identities to commit tax fraud, the Tampa Tribune reports.
 A man named Kenandrae Telfair, who was seized after pointing a gun at an undercover officer outside of his home, was found to have a laptop, papers and notebooks with the names, birthdates and Social Security numbers of people who purchased ADT systems through Tampa Signal. Telfair alleged that he paid a woman who sold the alarm systems $200 for the personal information, which he used to file fraudulent tax returns. The women, who he cites as Rachel Amones, worked as a closer for Tampa Signal. Closers take personal information from ADT purchasers for credit checks. "I went to them for security and I felt violated," Gibsonton resident Marilyn Varriale told the news source. "Obviously I gave them my Social Security number, and it ended up being turned against me." Despite the mishap, ADT spokesman Bob Tucker asserted to the media outlet that none of the stolen customer information had been used maliciously. ADT is the largest home security alarm service in the United States and typically works with independent resellers to sell equipment, according to ConsumerAffairs.