Identity theft scam in MV Identity theft scam in MV (July 01, 2005)

By Jenny Baer

Santa Clara sheriffs have arrested a married couple for allegedly using their Mountain View income tax business as a front to steal the identities of clients.

Elsa Lorena Solares and Jose Sanabria have been accused of identity theft, grand theft and perjury and are being held in the Santa Clara County Jail on a $500,000 bond. Solares, 39, is a real estate agent and Sanabria, 46, is a notary.

Authorities say the couple used the stolen identities to get mortgage loans on homes in Santa Clara, Stanislaus and Sacramento counties. Once they obtained the houses, authorities say, they would target primarily Spanish-speaking victims from the Bay Area who wanted to buy homes but couldn't qualify on their own.

The clients would give the couple a down payment, usually $5,000 to $10,000, and then proceed to move into the property and pay further mortgage payments. The clients ended up losing everything, authorities said.

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