A Paterson, New Jersey, woman faces identity theft and forgery charges after police said she tried to open a fraudulent account at a Dickson City bank.
Officers responded to First National Bank on Main Street in the borough Friday around 3:57 p.m. for the report of a woman who attempted to open a new checking account with a fake internet bill, police said. She left the building before her information was verified, leaving the fraudulent bill behind, according to a criminal complaint.
After officers started to canvass the area, they located the suspect — later identified as Leslie Wilson — in the parking lot of a nearby gas station, police said. She told authorities she was trying to open an account at the bank but needed more information, officers said. She denied doing anything wrong when officers stated they were investigating an incident at the bank, police said.
When asked for ID, Wilson provided a Maryland driver’s license, which an officer determined to be fraudulent, police said. She also gave police a fake name and date of birth — Wyanie Bright (10/6/74), which also appeared on the license. Upon being detained, the woman told officers her real name is Leslie Wilson, according to the criminal complaint.
The bank’s branch manager told officers the woman had a Spectrum bill containing a Carbondale address — which appeared to be misspelled — the Maryland driver’s license and a Wells Fargo card, police said.
When the branch manager called Spectrum to confirm the account, the woman took the Wells Fargo card and the license and left the bank, officers said. A Spectrum official confirmed the account number was valid, but the customer’s name and address were completely different, police said.
Officers found the Wells Fargo card — also in the name of Wyanie Bright — in Wilson’s purse along with a glass pipe, according to the criminal complaint. A paper with Bright’s personal information was also in the purse, police said.
When contacted by Dickson City police, Bright told officers she didn’t give Wilson her personal information and wanted to file charges, officers said.
Police charged Wilson, 43, with forgery, identity theft, false identification to law enforcement and related counts.
As of Monday, Wilson remained in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 29 at 11 a.m.