Former Verizon worker charged with identity theft of customers

A former employee at a Huntington Beach Verizon Wireless store has been charged with embezzlement and identity theft using credit information from that store’s customers.

Huntington Beach police have arrested George Cardenas, 25, of Compton, a former employee of the Verizon Wireless store at 16120 Beach Blvd., authorities said.

At least 14 customers of Schools First bank (formerly Orange County Teachers Federal Credit Union) have had identity and credit card information compromised since May, Huntington Beach police said. When the bank investigated the roughly $10,900 of losses, its findings sparked a police investigation, authorities said.

Other customers from different banks could also have been affected, police said. Even if fraudulent activity happened, it’s possible that other victims haven’t discovered their losses or haven’t reported them to authorities, police said.

Huntington Beach police have urged anyone who did business with the store to check credit card statements and report any fraudulent activity.

To report a crime to Huntington Beach police, call (714) 960-8811.

MICHAEL ALEXANDER may be reached at (714) 966-4618 or at [email protected].