A 75-year-old Albany woman was told her credit card had been compromised and that someone could help her obtain a replacement. Police say the supposed account-security assistance ended with approximately $6,000 being withdrawn from her accounts.
East Greenbush police arrested three men on October 20, 2026, in connection with the alleged scheme.
CBS6 Albany reported the case on October 21 and updated its coverage on October 22, citing East Greenbush police.
The ‘Replacement Card’ Offer Led Someone to Her Home
East Greenbush police said an unidentified woman was also involved in the deception alongside the three men.
Someone involved later went to the victim’s home and obtained her card.
Three Men Were Arrested at Hannaford With the Stolen Card and Money
East Greenbush police identified the three arrested men as Deamonte Brown, 36, Rallah Rollins, 34, and Hanif Evans, 35.
Each was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and fifth-degree conspiracy. Authorities recovered the card and approximately $6,000 during the arrests at the supermarket.
The men were issued appearance tickets requiring them to appear in East Greenbush Town Court at a later date. The charges are allegations, and all three are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
New York Law Treats Possession of a Stolen Credit Card as a Felony
Under New York Penal Law Section 165.45, knowingly possessing stolen property with the required criminal intent can constitute fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property when the item is a credit card or debit card.
The offense is a Class E felony. Because the law specifically covers stolen payment cards, prosecutors do not have to establish that the card itself was worth more than $1,000 to proceed under the credit-card provision.
The separate fifth-degree conspiracy statute applies when people agree to engage in conduct constituting a felony, with the intent that the conduct be performed. It is classified as a Class A misdemeanor.
The FBI Warned About Scammers Who Collect Bank Cards From Homes
In an August 2024 warning, the FBI described a fraud method involving criminals who impersonate bank representatives and persuade customers to surrender their physical payment cards.
In the scheme described by the agency, victims receive calls that appear to originate from their bank. The callers claim suspicious transactions have occurred and instruct customers to cut up their cards while leaving the electronic chips intact.
Someone posing as a bank employee then arrives to collect the card or its remaining chip. Scammers may also attempt to obtain the customer’s PIN, allowing them to make unauthorized transactions.
How to Respond When Someone Says Your Credit Card Is Compromised
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation advises consumers to independently contact their bank when an unexpected caller or message claims an account has been compromised. Customers should use the number printed on their card or an official banking app rather than relying on contact information supplied by the person making the claim.
Customers should not hand a payment card to an unfamiliar person who arrives claiming to collect or replace it. A legitimate replacement can be arranged directly through the card issuer’s verified procedures. PINs, passwords and security codes should also be kept private.
Anyone who has already surrendered a card should contact the issuer immediately to block it, request a replacement and dispute unauthorized transactions. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recommends monitoring account activity, preserving transaction details and reporting suspicious debits or charges as soon as possible.
Federal liability protections differ between credit and debit cards, and the timing of a report can matter, particularly when a debit card has been lost or stolen. Consumers should ask their financial institution which dispute procedures apply to their particular card and account.
Victims can also report suspected card-collection fraud to local police and the FBI through IC3.gov, preserving relevant phone numbers, messages, account statements and any information about the people who collected the card.