Gabrielle Thompson of Broomall, Pa., was born the same day as Gabrielle Thompson of Rotterdam Junction, N.Y. At age 22, the two young women, who are strangers to each other, just discovered that they share the same social security number.
Both born on July 11 in two different states, the federal government’s screw up was only discovered after the New York Gabrielle got a call from her mother asking why she applied for a $500 Victoria’s Secret credit card, reports NBC’s WNYT.
“My mother called me and said you got a $500 Victoria's secret card. 'Why did you open a credit card?' And I said, 'I didn't,'" she told WNYT.
At first suspecting identity theft, Gabrielle and her mother were soon looking at a credit report that listed her life as well as the Broomall Gabrielle’s life.
Now the two women’s mothers are trying to work out the mess together, trying to get the Gabrielles two brand new social security numbers.
"I'm glad you don't think I'm some crackpot that's like trying to steal your daughter's identity," Cindy, the mother of Gabrielle in Pennsylvania, told Amanda, reports WNYT.
"We're glad too, we're glad this situation is being rectified," Amanda replied.
Cases like this are not common, a spokesman for the New York Social Security told the broadcast station.
"It's unbelievable. I mean, you hear about this identity theft and people getting your number, but the government giving out the same to two different girls," the New York Thompson’s mother, Amanda, said.
