August 29, 2010
Learn How Citizens Can Help Protect America's National Security
We all know that identity theft is a very serious problem these days and passports are a really big target for those who want to perpetrate this crime. A stolen American passport can be altered and used by a terrorist or spy to freely enter the United States unnoticed. None of us want to make it any easier for someone to do harm to our citizens or our country so perhaps after reading some of these incidents, we will all be more careful with our passports.
One of these stories comes straight out of Baltimore Washington International Airport. John Skelton, a 41 year old British citizen, tried to enter the United States using the passport of a certain Kurt Branham. Kurt Branham has been dead since 1994. He was a Legislative Aide to a United States Senator, and an obituary article helped to pin the criminal. One of the most surprising elements to this story is the fact that Kurt Branham's identity had been used two times before and was under monitoring by the US government.
Mr. Eugene Todie was a 29-year-old New York resident who was on probation for criminal contempt. His use of a fraudulent passport permitted him to leave and re-enter the United States undetected. When he was caught, he was even wearing an ankle monitor and when asked about it, he said he was a fan of Lindsey Lohan and was simply wearing it in her honor. That was quite a story, but people who break the law in this way are dangerous and must be apprehended.
You may have heard about Lindsay Lohan's own issues regarding passports. While she was overseas, she claimed someone stole her passport, making it impossible for her to return to Los Angeles where she could appear in court for missing numerous court ordered alcohol education classes. She allegedly tried to re-enter the country without a passport, but she was denied entrance. Whether you believe her story or not, it just goes to show that no one is immune from the passport laws. She was able to handle her U.S. passport renewal emergency, but not without dealing with the consequences.
Dealing with passports is serious business, especially if it has been stolen, copied, or forged. A criminal can do a lot of harm to you and your family with a passport, so be sure to keep yours in a very safe place.
A stolen USA passport is a receipt for danger. The only reason anyone would steal someone's passport is because they are up to no good. Keep your passport in a safe place and if you ever loose it, immediately notify the authorities and then you can take care of your passport renewal emergency by contacting a secure, online passport agent. We need to all be alert with reference to these important documents. We want to be a part of keeping our country safe.
Filed under Whale Watching Tours by jenny