DCCV Supports Colorado Bureau of Investigation Identity Theft/Fraud Unit

Dear Ms. Amico,

On behalf of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation Identity Theft/Fraud Unit, I would like to thank the Denver Center for Crime Victims for all of the great work you are doing to support our efforts to provide quality services for victims of identity theft and fraud.  DCCV quickly embraced the idea of working collaboratively with CBI to provide victims of identity theft/fraud with equal access to support and assistance through a 24 hour hotline. With your support, our program has been touted as a model of service for victims and an example of successful coordination between law enforcement and the non-profit community.

In addition to your daily support for victims of identity theft/fraud, DCCV recently offered assistance in several high profile cases being coordinated by our Unit.

All of the staff at DCCV are great, and offer us wonderful support through our 24 hour hotline. However two of the staff have gone “above and beyond” in offering their help.

Maite Lara-Roca has been extremely helpful in walking us through the paperwork and challenges of filing with ICE for an emergency visa and for a U-Visa for a witness in a high profile court case.  Thanks to her assistance, we were able to ensure that he stayed in this country to provide his testimony in several cases, which had an impact on the positive outcomes of those cases. In addition, he is now a legal permanent resident and is able to resume his role as an active father to his children.

In another case, the victim of an identity theft was traumatized and fearful of accessing support through a law enforcement agency. The person who had stolen her identity had been arrested for a number of serious felonies, including homicide using the victim’s name. Susana Avelar was great. She spoke with the victim several times, establishing a trusting relationship. She scheduled meetings between the victim and CBI’s victim advocate and served as an informal interpreter to ensure that the victim understood what needed to be done to clear her criminal history. Susana continued to work with the victim to offer emotional support through the trauma and provide the victim with options for long term assistance. Without Susana’s help, we might not have been able offer this victim such a high level of support, and she might have continued to have a false criminal history that created havoc in her life.

Again, we would like to thank Cathy Phelps and all of the staff at DCCV for the support and assistance they have offered us. If you have any questions or would like to discuss these cases further, please do not hesitate to call or email me at any time.

Thank you again, Hazel

Hazel Heckers

Victim Advocate

Colorado Bureau of Investigation

ID Theft/Fraud Investigation Unit

710 Kipling Street Suite 200

Denver CO 80215