COBLESKILL, N.Y. (NEWS10) — A Plainfield, Connecticut woman is on probation, accused of opening a credit card in a Montgomery County resident’s name without their permission. Ashley M. Vanbenschoten, 34, has been charged with two counts of third-degree grand larceny, two counts of first-degree identity theft, two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, and petit larceny.
The victim noticed that a credit card had been opened in their name on May 14, 2022. Vanbenschoten had already used the card to purchase over $7,500 in goods and services, police said.
According to police, Vanbenschoten also opened a utility account using the victim’s name and information. “The suspect knew personal information about the victim and used that information to bypass the safeguards in place,” a spokesperson for New York State Police explained in an emailed statement.
On January 26, Vanbenschoten turned herself in at the state police barracks in Cobleskill. She was arraigned at the Cobleskill Town Court and released under the supervision of the Schoharie County Probation Department.