Crime & Safety

White House Official's SSN Used to Apply For Discover Credit Card

Teen told police he was just messing around on his computer and meant no harm.

 

If you plan to use somebody elses social security number, better make sure you know who it belongs to.

A Chapel Hill High School student has been charged with using the social security number of a high-ranking White House official to apply for a Discover credit card, according to the Douglas County Sentinel.

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James Townsend, a junior at Chapel Hill, was charged with identity fraud for allegedly completing the application using "a senior level executive branch official under the protection of the United States Secret Service," according to the warrant Douglas County Magistrate Court Judge Susan Camp read in court Wednesday.

Authorities wouldn't name the White House official.

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The case was handed over to the Sheriff's Department by the Secret Service, the Sentinel reported. Townsend's parents were notified and the teen arrested.

He was given a $1,000 cash bond Wednesday after telling the judge he was just messing around on the computer and didn't mean any harm, according to the Sentinel.

Judge Camp warned Townsend of the seriousness of the crime.

"You're the one that chooses the direction of your life and you don't need to be messing around on that computer doing stuff like that because they'll catch you every time," she said.


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