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Senator Reid victim of identity theft

About $2,000 charged to minority leader's MasterCard

From Ted Barrett
CNN Washington Bureau

Sen. Harry Reid lamented that the thief who stole his credit card number probably won't be caught.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid discovered this week he was the victim of identity theft after someone used his MasterCard number to charge about $2,000 at a Wal-Mart and other stores in Monroe, North Carolina.

The Nevada Democrat said he found out someone had obtained the number after opening his bill Tuesday night.

"It's not a tremendous inconvenience for me," he said. "I won't have to pay it."

But Reid said he is steamed about the fact the perpetrator likely will never be caught. "Something has to be done," he said, holding up his now-deactivated card.

Reid said he does not know how someone obtained the number or whether he has been the victim of a broader identity theft -- a problem that affects millions of Americans every year.

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