May 31, 2010
-
News: Credit Card Fraud; How Do They Do It? 52
A brother and sister team in Iowa City, Iowa were apprehended for credit card theft and then attempted to point the finger at each other. The siblings racked up over $500 in computer supplies and liquor before police apprehended the two at a local liquor store. Bessie A. Smith told police she didn't know the credit card was stolen because her brother called a liquor order into the store and asked her to pick it up. An attempt to falsify her brother's location failed as police apprehended Jimmy D. Little just outside the liquor store. Smith's daughter later acknowledged that her mother knew about the stolen credit card but had lied because she was afraid of going to jail. While being processed at the police station, Little tried to escape from the bathroom however his attempt failed. The two are facing charges on obstructing officers. Little has additional charges of attempting to escape from legal custody.
In Columbus, Ohio, an elderly couple was killed in a home fire and later one of their credit cards was used at several local merchants including a gas station and McDonald's restaurant. One of the victim's used oxygen as a medical treatment, however, it is not known if there is any connection to the fire. As yet, the cause of the fire is not determined. An investigation lead officers to a local home where they found 15 individuals of which two are believed to be connected to the stolen credit cards and the fire. It is estimated that the fire caused over $60,000 in damages. No arrests have yet been done awaiting results of the victims' autopsies.
In Wilmington, Delaware, a man faces charges on mail fraud, bank fraud and Social Security fraud after stealing hundreds of social security numbers (SSN). Lord Joseph H.M. Aughenbaugh also known as Calvin Harris, along with his brother, Todd Yurgin allegedly used the stolen SSNs to open up over 340 fraudulent credit card accounts and then rack up over $2.5 million.