Ex-MP bemoans ID nightmare

ROSALIA MARTIN, the provincial coordinator for Izquierda Unida political party in Almeria, has spoken of a nightmare situation after publishing her payslip on the internet in 2013.

Martin, who at that time was a member of the Andalucian Parliament, revealed her payslip for €3,677 in an attempt to halt rumours that she was the best paid MP in the region.

But she forgot to hide her ID number, which has led to endless headaches since a number of people have used it to ‘steal’ her identity online.

So far, two different police branches have informed the politician of crimes she is supposed to have committed. 

Martin first became aware of the problem a little over a year ago, when a credit card company started to demand money to pay back amounts due on a credit card she did not own. 

After reporting the matter to the police in her hometown of El Ejido, investigators found that the card had been obtained using a fake ID card with her number, but bearing an address in Chiclana de la Frontera and a photograph which was of another person. 

Now, Martin has been informed by Avila police that she is being reported by people all over the country accusing her of selling them things on the internet and failing to deliver. 

The former regional MP said this type of identity theft was more common than people thought and although she was sure the police would track down the culprit eventually, her name was being tainted in the meantime.