By OLIVIA BERGMEIER
Salina Post
Earlier this month, Advance America, at 1103 W. Crawford Street, called five Salina residents to complete $1,000 loan applications they had no knowledge of applying for.
Salina Police Department Capt. James Feldman said on March 8, Advance America received five loan applications from an unknown suspect who used the victims' identities to apply for and complete some of the loans.
"There were several of them," Feldman said. "Whoever did it online did get $1,000. We don't know what the common denominator is — where their information could have come from."
Feldman said most of the victims stopped the loans from being completed, but the suspect successfully took out one loan in the victim's name.
The suspect used information like addresses, social security and phone numbers to apply for the loans. Feldman said he and other officers at SPD believe it may have come from an online leak of personal information.
"There was a data leak from somewhere, but we don't know the common denominator with all these people," Feldman said.
SPD officers continue to investigate the case but have no suspects at this time.
Salina Post will update the story as more information becomes available.
READ MORE: Salina Salvation Army continues helping families amid financial challenges