The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has charged a former customer service representative for a tax software company with identity theft.
Sheriff’s Office Investigators received an email from a victim in another state on March 19, indicating he had received correspondence from a Jefferson County resident threatening to steal his identity. The victim submitted copies of the correspondence between himself and the suspect.
The victim also reported he had contacted customer service for a large tax preparation software company in attempt to resolve the issue, upon which the customer service representative was “rude and insulting,” which the victim said offended him, leading him to end the call.
The following day the victim received an email from the customer service representative that had berated him and indicated he should consider “showing proper respect, especially when it concerns an issue as vital as your identity.” The victim again considered the correspondence to be threatening and contacted the company directly, upon which he was told that representative had worked for a contractor, and would be termintated due to his actions.
The next day the victim received another email from the suspect, indicating that the suspect had manipulated his position to obtain necessary data to pursue a career, going on to describe the actons he had taken to avoid discovery and detailing how he planed to steal the victim’s identity.
Upon locating the suspect, it was found he had also a victim of identity theft, and the man claiming to be him while corresponding with the initial victim had stolen his identity to obtain work as a customer service representative.
Detectives identified the true suspect as Tony Michael Canterberry, 32 of Birmingham. Canterberry was contacted by email, asking that he get in touch with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office about the case, but he refused to do so, instead commenting “about how intelligent hie is and how he would not be captured.” Four felony arrest warrants were obtained charging Canterberry with identity theft, and he remains at large.
Canterberry has a history of criminal charges including illegal possession of a credit card, burglary and theft. Once captured, Canterberry’s bond will total $340,000 for his charges.
Anyone with information pertaining to his whereabouts should call 205-325-1450 or CrimeStoppers at 205-254-7777.
