Tag Archives: Payment Fraud

by | December 12, 2012 · 7:22 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Illinois Restaurant Manager Charged With Stealing Over $10,000 In Employee Paycheck Scam; Forged Names On Bogus Paychecks

“…she allegedly used information records of at least four former workers to pull off the scam, which came to light only after one of those former workers took concerns to the restaurant’s owner…created the accounts, employee theft“clocked in” workers to show they worked certain hours and then forged their names on the resulting paychecks…”

The manager of the Jerseyville McDonald’s restaurant was charged this week, accused of theft for allegedly using former workers’ information to create bogus paychecks that she cashed for herself.

The amount of money involved is likely in the tens of thousands of dollars, although Jersey County State’s Attorney Ben Goetten said the case still is being investigated.

“This should be a wake-up call to other business owners out there,” he told The Telegraph.

Officially, the amount of money taken is listed in the charge as between $10,000 and $100,000.

The alleged victim, Lora Dover of Carrollton, said she became alarmed after being told by Medicaid that she was not eligible for her latest disability check because of unreported income from 2012. Turns out, she had not worked at the McDonald’s in 2012.

For more:  http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/local/article_8692a192-43e5-11e2-b4f6-001a4bcf6878.html

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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 | June 30, 2012 · 6:21 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Florida Hotels And Guests Defrauded By Homeless Man; Watched Guests Leave Room And Claimed He Was That Person

“…He would apparently watch a guest leave then go into the room and claim he’s that person.  Once in the room, police told WFTV Price would call the front desk and say he wanted to extend the stay, sometimes by 10 days…”

“…At the Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal, Price allegedly racked up nearly $9,000 in charges on an Ohio man’s credit card…”

A homeless man spent Friday night in the Orange County Jail.  He was busted after police said he posed as a guest at lavish hotels and went on spending sprees that his victims paid for. David Price has been homeless for the past two years.  On some nights he found shelter at the most lavish hotels in Orange County including The Ritz Carlton, Hard Rock Hotel and Loews Portofino Bay.  He stayed at those hotels on other people’s dime.

A few days ago, police arrested Price after he finagled his way into a room at the Hard Rock Hotel that was previously occupied by a hotel worker.  Security officers knew the employee had already left so they called the police.  Officers apparently found items from other hotels in the room, including The Peabody on International Drive and the Four Seasons in Miami.

For more:  http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/investigators-homeless-man-arrested-stays-hotels-o/nPjTK/

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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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