Police: Man Stole 11-Year-Old Son's Identity To Get License And Credit

RALEIGH, N.C. — We hear a lot about identity thieves lurking on the Internet, but in this case the suspected thief was in the victim's own home.

In this case, police say a young boy has bad credit and even a criminal record because of his dad.

In 1993, he was an infant and 8 years later, the boy has a driver's license. But the man pictured on the ID isn't the boy, it's his 35-year-old father, Joseph Bostic.

Detectives accuse Bostic of stealing his son's identity to get a North Carolina Driver's License in 2001.

The boy's mother said she found out about it last week and called the Department of Motor Vehicles.

"I said 'My son is 11 years old and I think he has a driver's license'," said Pamela Rusher, the victim's mother.

They checked his Social Security number and it matched the son's.

Investigators say the boy's number has been used a lot in the last three years.

"He has two collections on his report, a $14,000 truck, and a $1,600 Capital One credit card -- and he's 11," Rusher said.

Investigators say Joseph Bostic also racked up a long rap sheet using his son's ID.

So how did it happen? The DMV did not return our calls requesting an interview for this story, but they say they are creating more checks and balances in the system.

According to the DMV Web site, just last year they updated their system, so now when you go get a license and give your Social Security number, they can check the number to see if it matches your age.

"I was very upset about it," Rusher said. "First of all you're ruining my son, and my son is being ruined by his father."

The DMV revoked the fraudulent license. Rusher is now working to clear her son's criminal and credit records.