Tag Archives: Credit Cards

by | August 16, 2012 · 6:34 am

Hospitality Industry Payment Fraud Risks: Woman Arrested After Using Stolen Credit Card With "Illegitimate Authorization Code" To Scam Florida Hotels

Police believe the alleged Discover employee was actually Betancourt’s accomplice, who gave an illegitimate code to the hotel clerk. According to investigators, codes are sold on the black market to help crooks override the system.

According to authorities, 53-year-old Debra Betancourt used an old, stolen Discover credit card linked to a closed account and a fake Arizona state ID to scam a number of hotels on Miami Beach. Police say at 11:30 p.m. Monday, Betancourt went to the Alexander Hotel on Collins Avenue. She informed a hotel employee that she made an online reservation with the stolen Discover card.

However, Betancourt’s card was declined for a charge of $4,100. Betancourt got on the phone, police said, and called someone who she said worked at Discover. The alleged employee gave the hotel clerk an authorization number, but the hotel would not complete the transaction.

Less than an hour later, at 12:15 a.m., Betancourt headed south and tried the scam again at the Cadet Hotel on James Avenue. This time, Betancourt got lucky: Her card was approved for 10 nights for a grand total of $10,105. Another hour passed, and the 53-year-old headed even further south to the Anglers Hotel on Washington Avenue, where she tried to pull the scam for the third time.

Betancourt once again ran into problems, and called the mystery Discover employee. However, the card was declined and the hotel manager contacted police. According to authorities, Betancourt kicked the manager in the groin and took off, but officers caught up with Betancourt and arrested her.

Read more: http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/21008278197692/accused-hotel-scam-artist-arrested/#ixzz23ieeFMyM

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by | August 10, 2012 · 6:41 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: Wisconsin Hotel Employee Arrested And Charged With 65 Counts Of Credit Card Fraud And Identity Theft

“…(the former employee) used customer credit card numbers to pay tuition and insurance bills. An alert customer notified police and an investigation led to his arrest…”

 A 19-year-old who worked at a hotel in Medford is facing 65 credit card theft charges. He worked at the AmericInn until late last year, and was accused of using the card numbers that hotel guests had put on-file to cover room-expenses. Nicholas Johnson is facing 59 counts of identity theft, and six counts of fraudulently using a credit card for more than $10,000. He’ll be back in court on August 14th.

Police began looking for things in common among several reports of fake credit card charges. They focused on Johnson when several of the card-holders who’d been ripped off had stayed at the same hotel. Johnson hasn’t worked there since late last year.

For more:  http://wsau.com/news/articles/2012/aug/10/hotel-worker-charged-in-credit-card-fraud-scheme/

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by | July 17, 2012 · 6:18 am

Hospitality Industry Employee Risks: Former Manager Of New York Hotel Convicted Of Felony Theft Of $50,000 From Cash And Expenses On Corporate Credit Card

“…(woman was ordered) to pay $48,883.53 in restitution…that amount would cover thefts Aylmer committed by taking cash from the hotel and by running up expenses on the corporate credit card…”

“A co-defendant…is responsible for paying back about $12,000 to cover the theft of supplies from the hotel that the defendants attempted to sell on Craigslist and eBay…”

The former manager of a Cicero hotel was sentenced today to five years’ probation for stealing more than $50,000 from her employer. Cathaline Aylmer, 40, of Utica, had nothing to say before Onondaga County Judge Joseph Fahey imposed the probationary sentence agreed to when Aylmer pleaded guilty May 11 to a felony count of second-degree grand larceny.

In pleading guilty, Aylmer admitted stealing from the Days Inn Hotel on Bartel Road from June through July 2010.

For more:  http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2012/07/former_cicero_hotel_managed_se.html

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by | July 10, 2012 · 1:52 pm

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: Alabama Hotel Employees Assist With Arrest Of Identity Theft Ring Operating In Guest Room

“…Investigators say when the officers entered the hotel room, there were stolen credit cards, computers, cameras, scanner and other items in plain sight…the group had been making fake identification and checks. They had also made Social Security cards and drivers licenses. Police say that many of the victims are businesses…”

Irondale Police say they have arrested and charged three people with multiple counts of identity theft after a hotel called them to evict a group of non-paying customers.

Victor Hedden, 46 of Phenix City, Raymon Hall, 29 of Columbus, Georgia, and Precious Clemons, 25 of Columbus, Georgia have been charged with possession of forged materials and trafficking in stolen ids.

The incident happened Saturday when employees with America’s Family Inn called to ask the police’s help to remove a group of people who hadn’t paid their hotel bill for several days.

For more:  http://www.myfoxal.com/story/18985033/unpaid-hotel-bill-leads-irondale-pd-to-identity-thieves

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by | June 27, 2012 · 6:28 am

Hospitality Industry Information Risks: Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Sues Hotel Operator Over Guest Account Data Theft That Results In Over $10 Million Of Credit Card Fraud

“… fraudulent charges on Wyndham’s consumer accounts totaled more than $10.6 million following three data breaches in less than two years. The breaches occurred in April 2008, March 2009 and in late 2009…”

The Federal Trade Commission said repeated failures to secure consumer data led to hundreds of thousands of consumers’ payment card information being exported to an Internet domain address registered in Russia.

Wyndham, which operates several hotel brands, including the value-oriented Days Inn and Super 8, is one of a large number of organizations that acknowledged in the past three years that they had been hacked by people seeking either financial gain or intellectual property.

Other victims have included entertainment giant Sony, the International Monetary Fund, Google, Lockheed Martin and Citigroup.

For more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/27/uk-ftc-wyndham-idUSLNE85Q01Q20120627

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by | June 25, 2012 · 6:27 am

Hospitality Industry Information Security: Hotel And Restaurant Guests Face Increased Risks Of "Credit Card Cloning"; Stolen Data Rewritten Onto New Cards And Used Instantly

 “…an unscrupulous restaurant waiter with a pocket skimmer might be able to steal information from hundreds of customers a week, selling that information to those with the means to encode fake credit cards. Battery-powered skimmers can be carried in a pocket…copying information as customers swipe cards to pay for gas or withdraw cash…”

The (stolen) information then can be emailed or downloaded over the Internet and rewritten onto any card with a magnetic strip, such as gift cards or hotel keys. While the victim’s credit card is still in his or her possession, someone could be using a perfect replica hundreds of miles away.

The process, called “cloning,” accounts for much of the growth in credit card fraud during the past few years, officials said. According to a Javelin Strategy and Research report, credit card fraud has increased 87 percent since 2010, culminating in aggregate losses of $6 billion nationwide.

Credit card cloning is easy and lucrative, accounting for its popularity, said Sileo, who founded the Web site Thinklikeaspy.com.

People whose cards are skimmed might not know for weeks or months that their information has been stolen. Once someone realizes it, the account usually is closed quickly. Savvy crooks know to rack up major bills just as fast.

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/06/24/2236535/financial-crimes-credit-card-cloning.html#storylink=cpy

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by | June 1, 2012 · 7:47 am

Hospitality Industry Payment Fraud Risks: Florida Hotels Victims Of $15,000 Scam By Guests; Legitimate Credit Cards "Switched" To Prepaid Debit Cards

“…(three men) racked up roughly $15,000 in charges at several Disney hotels earlier this year and then left without paying before hotel staff ever realized what happened…Each man checked into a hotel with a legitimate credit card but then switched the room charges to prepaid debit cards that each had less than $10 in value…”

Falk, 36, told deputies they pulled off the scam by taking advantage of a loophole in the way Disney charges resort guests that he discovered during a legitimate vacation four years ago. Then they charged thousands in theme-park purchases to their rooms. Since the hotel limited charges to between $1,000 and $1,500 per room, the fraudulent purchases went undetected since they stayed below those amounts, they told deputies.

Nero, 39, told deputies they visited resort hotels seven times and reserved a total of 13 rooms from February to April. The three could still be living the high life had it not been for a vigilant cigar shop employee, a report says. The employee contacted authorities after Falk allegedly came into the shop several times to buy hundreds of dollars worth of pricey cigarettes.

The employee told police that Falk was spending more money than most of the other customers but what really made him suspicious was that Falk never seemed to care what brand of cigarettes he bought. According to the shop owner, most smokers are loyal to their brands.

For more:  http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-05-31/news/os-disney-hotel-scam-20120531_1_hotels-shop-owner-room-charges

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by | May 23, 2012 · 6:23 am

Hospitality Industry Information Risks: Man Arrested In Texas Hotel Room At Center Of "Extensive Identity Theft Operation"

“…(He) is charged with the possession of marijuana and meth. But inside his hotel room at the Hyatt Regency in Dallas police found 400 to 500 credit cards, debit cards, gift cards and social security numbers. There was evidence of personal information involving a federal agency lifted from registration forms from a conference hosted by a North Texas hotel…”

A California man with North Texas ties is behind bars for drug possession. He was also in a downtown Dallas hotel room that appeared to be the center of an extensive identity theft operation. On Monday Dallas police arrested 26-year-old Justin Bennett. His last known address is in Los Angeles but records show he used to live in Rockwall.

Police also confiscated three laptops, a printer and a credit card embossing machine.

Sources said whoever is behind the identity theft operation appears to be taking existing credit card numbers and putting different names on them. It would never have been discovered except for a clever car rental company.

On Sunday the rental company out of Oklahoma rented a white SUV from its satellite office near the airport to a man who paid $2200 for two weeks. He used a credit card.

For more:  http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/18597822/extensive-identity-theft-operation-exposed

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by | April 19, 2012 · 6:43 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Man Arrested For Using Fraudulent Credit Card Information At California Hotels; Police Seize $32,000 Worth Of Cashier's Checks

“…(the man) was arrested on suspicion of using fraudulent credit card information at hotels and resorts in Laguna Beach, Costa Mesa and Dana Point…between Feb. 15 and April 12…”

“…it was common for Larson to give his hotel room to someone else before the end of his stay and move on to another hotel…”

Harold Eric Larson, 36, of Orange was arrested April 12 at the Costa Mesa Marriott, where detectives seized documents, hotel booking information and $32,000 worth of cashier’s checks from 39 different accounts.

Larson is facing charges of burglary, identity theft, grand theft and credit card fraud, said Laguna Beach police Sgt. Robert Rahaeuser.

According to court records, Larson pleaded not guilty Monday to 20 felony counts.

Laguna police first got a tip March 2 that Larson was committing fraud at a Laguna resort.

For more:  http://www.dailypilot.com/tn-cpt-0420-larson-20120417,0,413551.story

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by | April 10, 2012 · 1:36 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: "Large Identity Theft Operation" Uncovered At California Hotel After Manager Suspected Drug Sales

“…Deputies found fake credit and identification cards as well as computers, printers and software used to make false identification..Deputies also found credit card readers and small cameras that allowed criminals to capture credit card information and PIN numbers. Prepaid credit cards embossed with stolen information which could then be used at businesses were located..”

Sheriff’s deputies broke up a large identity theft operation this past weekend while investigating a report of drug dealing at a hotel room. Investigators contend the material found Sunday at Four Points by Sheraton at 11960 Foothill Blvd. was created using stolen information from card readers or skimmers, Rouse said.

The group allegedly started in Northern California and “have been working their way around,” he said.

On Sunday, a hotel manager called the Sheriff’s Department to report someone was selling drugs in one of the rooms.

Deputies discovered various items indicating Jeffery Wilkinson, 35, Barbara Brown, 32, and Shahin Abdollahi, 46, were involved in a large-scale identity theft ring, sheriff’s Sgt. Ken Jamieson said.

Wilkinson had an arrest warrant and was in the possession of drugs.

For more:  http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_20355205/rancho-cucamonga-id-theft-ring-uncovered

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