Help Kaitlin: Share and Support ID theft recovery

Friends, Family, and Community Members of Kaitlin Henze:

Kaitlin has taken the courageous step to share the story of her identity theft and significant financial loss publicly to spread awareness of the sophisticated nature of scams and the current tax implications. Those who know Kaitlin well have witnessed her burning passion for helping others and her resilience and strength in challenging times. She cares deeply about stopping this trauma for others, and education is the first step! In the meantime, Kaitlin is in a very precarious financial situation. Please consider contributing to her GoFundMe to help her pay off her tax debt and cover some of her basic living expenses as she rebuilds her life.

Kaitlin's story, in her own words:

In May of 2023, I was a victim of identity theft and subsequently had my entire life savings stolen. Over the course of 3 weeks, my bank accounts were emptied, my 401k accounts depleted, and my credit card debt rose to over $50k. This was all due to a very elaborate and sophisticated identity theft scam involving the impersonation of federal authorities that earned my trust. To understand the details of what transpired, you can watch this short segment published by Fox 6 News in Oct. 2023.

Over the past 10 months, I have done everything that I can to file claims, contact the real federal authorities, and spend countless hours on the phone and submitting proposals to track down the money that was stolen from me. Unfortunately, the perpetrators have not been found and there is nothing that anyone has been able to do to recover my money.

Additionally, I am now indebted for taxable earnings and early withdrawal penalties on the stolen accounts. Due to the current tax regulations, I am subject to taxes on the money that was stolen from me even though I did not benefit from that money and no longer have it. My tax bill is over $20k, which appears impossible to pay seeing as I barely have enough money to pay my regular living expenses. I conducted a follow-up segment with Fox 6 in March 2024 to share more about the tax implications.

While it will take time for me to fully heal from the emotional trauma, I am determined to use my situation as an opportunity to educate others and prevent this from happening to the people that we care about. Please share the news segment clips and my story with your friends and family to help me spread awareness!

I am also taking a vulnerable leap by accepting donations via this GoFundMe Page to help me cover my basic living expenses and pay off my tax debt. Although I feel uncomfortable asking for money without giving anything in return, I realize that most humans enjoy helping others, and if I were on your side of the situation, I would welcome the opportunity to help you!

If you feel compelled to support me financially, you can donate here, even if it is just $1. Thank you for taking the time to hear my story, for being a source of trust and support, and for joining me in the fight against elaborate scams. I am committed to putting an end to this type of crime!

In gratitude, Kaitlin