True Crime: Investigation of credit card abuse

Charges of $294 in California? They weren’t his.

The Victim: John Parteli
The Crime: Investigation of credit card abuse
Date: Thursday, Aug. 19
Time: 3:20 a.m.
Location: 6800 block of Norway

John Parteli was surprised by the phone call. He hadn’t been to California, and definitely did not spend hundreds of dollars at a gas station in the wee morning hours. Luckily, his credit card company spotted the charges and informed him about the crime, and suspended the card before more damage could be done.

“Somehow someone got my ATM debit card number and used it in Sacramento, Calif.,” he says. “They used it at a Circle K for $294 at 3 o’clock in the morning.”

Parteli believes someone may have actually made a fake card with the number or was able to use it in some other method. The card company reported that four other charges were also attempted after the card’s use was suspended.

“Luckily, Chase realized it was a strange purchase, and they put a hold on the account until they got hold of me,” Parteli says.

At the same time Parteli was on the phone with Chase, the customer service agent said that someone was again attempting to fraudulently use the account number at that very moment at a Macy’s department store in California.

Parteli is not sure how someone got his account number, but did receive a letter from a hotel company at which he had stayed in Austin, which explained that its system had been hacked. He believes his account number had perhaps been stolen during the security breach.

“You hear about identity theft all the time, but you never think it will happen to you,” he says.

Dallas Police Cpl. Gerry Monreal says it is important never to give out any personal information to phone solicitors or unknown email addresses.

“Always keep your credit card receipts, and never give out your social security number, PIN, or credit card numbers. There are a lot of times [criminals] will call asking for personal information.”

He advises neighbors to thoroughly check their credit card statements at the end of each month for unfamiliar purchases.

3

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