Several miami residents arrested for credit card fraud

November 17, 2009

Five Miami and Hialeah residents were arrested in Tampa by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office for numerous counts of credit card fraud. Those arrested were allegedly involved in 66 fraudulent purchases at a Tampa Walmart. The police are alleging that those arrested used stolen credit card numbers to purchase in excess of $13,000 in gift cards. Law enforcement authorities began the investigation when many victims came forward and reported unauthorized transactions on their credit card statements. Those arrested are seeking representation by the most experienced Miami credit card fraud lawyers. Miami criminal lawyers are the most experienced in the handling of these types of cases due to the large number of credit card fraud cases that occur in the South Florida area.

As the number of credit card fraud cases have increased in Miami over the past couple of years, vendors have tightened security at their establishments usually requiring a driver's license before accepting a credit card for payment. As a result, individuals in the business of perpetrating credit card fraud have moved north through the State of Florida where credit card security is much more lax. The only problem with moving north, is that the criminal courts handling the matters are handing out much stiffer punishments than the courts in Miami.

Not only are heavier punishments being handed down, but criminal courts are handing down much higher bail requirements to secure release prior to trial. At the bond hearing, the judge set bonds in the amount of approximately $100,000 for each defendant. The judge also set a Nebbia requirement as part of the bond. A Nebbia condition on a bond requires a defendant to prove to the prosecutor and the judge that the premium required by the bondsman along with requisite collateral was not obtained from the criminal enterprise itself. The best way to overcome a Nebbia requirement is to show that the funds and property used to secure a bond come from third parties with legitimate sources of income.

Along with being charged with credit card fraud, charges of identity theft are also prosecuted in state and federal court. The reason identity theft charges are also filed is because the fraudulent credit cards are manufactured with the actual credit card numbers of innocent victims. The most common way of obtaining credit numbers is by "skimming". Machines are used at retail businesses to obtain the codes located on the magnetic strips on the back of credit cards. Although local law enforcement agencies investigate and prosecute credit card fraud, federal authorities such as the Secret Service are also investigating and making arrests in credit card fraud cases.

Six Arrested for Credit Card Fraud at Walmart, The Tampa Tribune, November 17, 2009.