Bay Area Woman Guilty of Identity Theft After Being Caught Using Stolen State Visa Card
News: 2020 Press Release
VALLEJO, Calif. — Vallejo resident Michelle Marie Rivas, 25, pleaded No Contest in Solano County Court to one count of identity theft after a California Department of Insurance (CDI) investigation revealed Rivas attempted to use a stolen state-issued Visa gas card.
In November 2019, a CDI vehicle was burglarized and a state-issued Visa gas card was stolen. Detectives investigated the burglary and found several attempts had been made to use the card at gas stations in American Canyon, Vallejo and Benicia. The investigation further uncovered surveillance video of a female suspect, unsuccessfully attempting to use the card multiple times at a Benicia gas station.
Several months later, Rivas was arrested in Marin County on un-related charges. She was identified as the suspect who had attempted to use the stolen Visa gas card after a CDI detective identified her by analyzing Rivas’ distinct tattoos and comparing them with the individual seen in the surveillance video footage.
Rivas was arrested by Fairfield Police Department officers on October 28, 2020, and booked into Solano County Jail. Rivas received one year probation. The Solano County District Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case.
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Led by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, the California Department of Insurance is the consumer protection agency for the nation's largest insurance marketplace and safeguards all of the state’s consumers by fairly regulating the insurance industry. Under the Commissioner’s direction, the Department uses its authority to protect Californians from insurance rates that are excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory, oversee insurer solvency to pay claims, set standards for agents and broker licensing, perform market conduct reviews of insurance companies, resolve consumer complaints, and investigate and prosecute insurance fraud. Consumers are urged to call 1-800-927-4357 with any questions or contact us at www.insurance.ca.gov via webform or online chat. Non-media inquiries should be directed to the Consumer Hotline at 800-927-4357. Teletypewriter (TTY), please dial 800-482-4833.
