Bank Error Wreaked Havoc in His Life, Customer Says

HACKENSACK, N.J. (CN) - Here's an identity theft story from hell, in which a customer demands punitive damages from Wachovia Bank, as successor to First Union Bank. Michael Claudy claims the bank sent 240 of his checks to the wrong address, and printed his driver's license number of them, though he did not ask for it.

When he complained that his checks never arrived, he says, the bank sent him duplicate checks, with the same numbers. Whoever got the first checks used them to get his Social Security number, to write checks on his account, and to get credit cards and rent property in his name, Claudy says. As a result, Claudy says he was falsely charged with assault and passing bad checks, his credit was ruined, his driver's license was suspended for tickets the other guy got, and he had to file for bankruptcy. He is represented by Dennis Harraka.

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