Last updated on November 14th, 2024 at 10:17 am
A Wesley Chapel man tried to fraudulently purchase two Mercedes Benz vehicles Sunday using a fraudulent ID – another person’s Social Security number and driver’s license, according to a Pasco Sheriff’s Office arrest report.
James Brucia, 64, attempted to buy one vehicle for $80,200 and another for $76,750, authorities say.
The arrest report states Brucia filled out an online credit application using a fraudulent ID before going with another man to the Mercedes Benz dealership located at 2383 Willow Oak Drive in Wesley Chapel on Sunday.
Once they got to the dealership, Brucia filled out a second credit application with the same stolen identity, according to court records.
While the two men were still at the dealership, the arrest report states Mercedes Benz employees discovered the application was fraudulent and called law enforcement. When deputies arrived, the two men took off running from the dealership. Deputies eventually caught them, though the report does not state how long the pursuit lasted.
According to court records, Brucia faces a charge of fraud to obtain property of $50,000 or more and a charge of impersonating another person without their consent. He was booked into Pasco County Jail and was being held on $100,000 bail Friday, records show.
Brucia pleaded not guilty to the charges Tuesday, according to court records.
The other man faces a second-degree charge of accessory after the fact. He was released on bond, according to court records.
Read the original post here.
Want to learn more about how to catch fraudulent IDs? IdentiFraud is the most reliable solution on the market today for identity verification and age verification of US Consumers. By submitting consumer-provided information, IdentiFraud provides detailed verification of identity data within a matter of seconds. With IdentiFraud, using data captured from an ID and an ID number (SSN is not required). IdentiFraud makes it possible to be certain you are conducting business with the real ID holder.
