Society

Identity fraud payout largest to date

By Chen Xin and Wang Yan (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-08-14 08:56

CHANGSHA - The victim of an identity fraud case won 45,000 yuan ($6,600) in compensation on Friday at a court in Central China after she sued the family of her classmate, Wang Jiajun, for stealing her identity.

Luo Caixia, 24, a native of Hunan's Shaodong county, originally demanded 141,990 yuan in compensation for violation of her name rights and mental distress.

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Luo reached an agreement with the family, after nearly three-hours mediation by the judge and lawyers at the Changsha Intermediate People's Court in Hunan province.

Luo discovered that her identity had been stolen in March 2009, when she tried to open a bank account, and was told that there were problems with her personal information.

She could not even receive her graduation and teaching certificate, because they had already been issued to someone using her name.

Investigations found that Wang's father, Wang Zhengrong, a senior police officer in Hunan had abused his position in 2004 in order for his daughter to enter university using Luo's identity.

The agreement dismissed the accusations against seven other defendants, including Shaodong No 1 Middle School, Shaodong education bureau and Guizhou Normal University, which, Luo alleged, jointly participated in the identity fraud six years ago.

"I am satisfied with the result," Luo told China Daily after the court session, adding that she had forgiven Wang for her actions. "I hope this will be the end of the issue. I'm looking forward to starting my new life, and I hope she will also begin hers."

Although the 45,000 yuan was far less than the amount she originally claimed, Luo's lawyer, An Gang, said the compensation marked a new high for a name right violations settlement in China.

"The convention is an award of around 10,000 yuan usually," he said, adding that the decisions are generally made based on the defendants' ability to pay.

Qu Yimin, the agent for Wang's family, a Changsha-based lawyer, said a mediated agreement was the best outcome, adding that the compensation money was collected during the adjournment.

"All of the money was paid by Wang's family, which is not an easy task for them nowadays. I myself lent them 20,000 yuan," he said.

Wang's family did not show up at the court on Friday and Wang Jiajun's whereabouts are currently unknown.

Wang's degree was revoked last May, and her father was sentenced to a four-year jail term last October on charges of counterfeiting official documents, certificates and seals.