Covington couple says thieves racked up tens of thousands in credit card charges

COVINGTON, Ga. - A Covington couple is fighting back after someone used their credit to buy a truck and a Jeep worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Lamar and Courtney Hamlin said the identity thieves could thwart their chances at the American dream, the purchase of a new home. after someone stole Lamar’s identity.

“Several loans have been taken out in my husband’s name. So we’ve been trying to get that rectified. This is not my husband who made any inquiries nor has he taken out any loan,” said Courtney Hamlin.

With each new mail delivery, the problems seem to be piling up. So far a police report from the Newton County Sheriff’s Office shows an unauthorized purchase of a new truck worth $90,000 from a Savanah dealership, while a report from police in Lexington, South Carolina shows someone used Lamar’s Identity and credit again to buy another vehicle, a Jeep.

“Two vehicles at this time I think there’s a total of three vehicles, maybe three but I want to say two vehicles for sure totaling $170,000 to $200,000,” said Lamar Hamlin.

Adding to the financial insult, someone also opened a Discover credit card in Lamar’s name and went on a $2,400 spending spree at stores and restaurants in the metro Atlanta.

The Hamlins showed FOX 5 News an email from the Newton County Sheriff’s Office asking if they could identify two suspects with pictures of two men attached.

“I think they’re nearby with some of the transactions that occurred with some of the transactions that occurred on the Discover,” said Corinth

Lamar Hamlin said drives a Toyota Camry and has one credit card to limit debt to help buy their new home.

But now the Hamlins are working hard to clear up the financial mess and uncertainly left behind by identify thieves.

“So of course the bank is going to hesitate to loan you additional money in addition to the two hundred, three hundred thousand dollars that’s been taken out in your name too,” said Courtney Hamlin.

The couple said they have now frozen their credit and are working closely with banks and financial institutions involved in the credit fraud.