Amanda Smith, a resident of upstate Pennsylvania, was arrested in April after authorities served a warrant for a crime allegedly committed in Arkansas—a state she had never visited. The arrest stemmed from a scam on Facebook Marketplace, where a hacked seller account directed a buyer to send $1,000 to a Cash App account registered in Smith's name. Although Smith maintains she has never used the service, the account was successfully opened using her Social Security number and date of birth. She was subsequently held in a local jail for three nights before being extradited to Arkansas for processing.
The article describes how a scammer used Smith's Social Security number and date of birth to open a Cash App account.
Investigation into the fraudulent account revealed several discrepancies that Smith's defense team is using to argue her innocence. While the account was linked to her identity, the registered address was one where she had never lived, and the connection was made via a Verizon network, whereas Smith uses AT&T. Furthermore, the account was accessed using an iPhone running an older operating system (iOS 16.1.1) from 2022, while Smith's current device runs a much newer version (iOS 26.5.2). Despite these inconsistencies, Smith faces charges of computer fraud, theft of property, and unlawful use of a communication device. Authorities have offered her a plea deal involving a $1,000 fine and three years of probation, which she has refused.
A significant complication in the case involves the difficulty of obtaining evidence from the financial platform. Smith reports that Cash App initially refused to provide information about the account because she could not provide proof of ownership—a circular hurdle given that the account was created without her consent. She eventually obtained the data through the legal discovery process. The case underscores the risks of identity theft and the challenges of proving a negative in digital fraud cases, where a person's credentials may be used by a third party without their knowledge or cooperation. Prosecutors are currently pursuing the case, while Smith's legal team seeks a dismissal based on the lack of evidence linking her to the actual operation of the account.