Recently near Spokane, Washington, local police were tipped off to some fraudsters trying to use suspect credit cards in a local bank. While at the bank they tried to obtain money using a stolen card and a phony Oregon driver’s license. The three intrepid fraudsters, two women and one man, were taken to the local sheriffs department where they were searched. The fraud ring was busted when it was revealed that one accomplice had $26,000 stuffed into her bra!
During the search process at the Spokane County Jail, guards found that the 6 feet tall, 400 pound, twenty four year old Lukeisha Harris, had stuffed the cash and bank receipts down her cleavage and into her bra. The money had been obtained through cash advances on stolen credit cards. Employees at two banks alerted local law enforcements about the stolen cards.
One of the withdrawals was for a reported $8,000 in cash. When the card was denied, the woman provided a phone number to get the amount approved.
In addition to the stolen credit cards, the women also possessed stolen drivers licenses. As each woman was questioned, independently, they each said they were Aurora Wright. When asked to produce identification, several ID were found. All of the IDs belonged to “Aurora Wright”. Each one had a different photograph on it.
The male accomplice was arrested as he waited in the getaway car.
Only in America – NOT
North Americans are not the only people subject to being taken advantage of from credit card scams. Take for example two fraudsters in Ahmedabad, India, who duped unsuspecting individuals.
Their scams involved promised upgrades to their existing cards with new credit cards, usually golden cards, which had an increased purchase limit. Unfortunately for the owners of the cards, the new ‘golden cards’ were mere duplicates with little or no upgrades. Their surrendered cards were then used to purchase electronic items at local shops.
What to Do If You’ve Been Scammed
If you’ve been scammed, you are not alone. If you are the victim of an identity theft:
1. Report it. This is the first step in catching the fraudsters. Call the issuing credit card company immediately to report the details of the incident. The number is on the back of the card. If your card has been stolen, look at past statements for the current number to call. Fraudsters are quick. Make sure you call immediately so the card company can help apprehend the culprit. They may also refund any untoward charges and issue new cards.
2. Check your other accounts. After you have initially contacted the main source of the fraud, review your statements to see where the card could have been compromised. It may have been a skimmer at a gas station or a unscrupulous attendant at a kiosk. Look over your statements to see if there was a pattern to the theft. Review other accounts to ensure that there are no unusual charges to any of the other accounts.
3. Contact the credit bureau. Contact one of the credit bureaus to put a 90 day fraud alert on your account. This identifies that your accounts may have been compromised and they will often help you investigate the case. The three main credit bureaus to contact are:
Equifax
1-800-525-6285
Experian
1-888-EXPERIAN
TransUnion
1-800-680-7289
4. Keep alert. Closing accounts and reporting the fraud are the important steps but keep vigilant on reviewing charges and continuing issues with the account. On occasion identity theft is accompanied by people reopening or opening new accounts with the stolen information. If you see unusual activity flag it immediately and report it right away before it becomes a major issue.
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Tags: Bank, Bank Receipts
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