11/14/2008 - Bend
by Matt McDonald
 
Potential victims of identity theft involving a Bend J.C. Penney employee didn't know they were part of a court case until KOHD News gave them a call on Friday morning.
 
"It's disturbing and its scary and its kind of frustrating when you don't get the information the main source."
 
That from a potential victim who asked to remain anonymous. She is one of the 12 individual victims listed in court documents filed today against 18-year-old Teri Kliewer of La Pine, a former employee at J.C. Penney.
 
"There's not indication that any of those customers suffered any financial loss or that their information was retained to be used later," said Patrol Officer Lyn Sly from the Bend Police Department.
 
But their information had already been used. Between October 14th and November 4th, Kliewer alledgedly used customers' names, addresses and driver's license number to generate false returns, pocketting about $2100 in gift cards. She spent about three hundred dollars before J.C. Penney caught her and called police.
 
"Corporate wanted an opportunity to contact them first so as not to cause any undo or unjustified panic amongst their customers," said Sly.
 
But on Friday morning, when KOHD started investigating this story, we found some victims that didn't have a clue they were even involved.
 
"I think anytime your name is out there publicly you should be notified ahead of time," said our anonymous victim.
 
In a statement issued to KOHD J.C. Penney's corporate office in Texas said.
 
"While we don't believe the impacted customers' information
was compromised, now that we have all the facts, we will be
communicating with them directly about the occurrence."
 
A communication some victims are still waiting to get.