A Missouri woman is accused of spending nearly $4,500 with a debit card that the owner says was mailed to his previous address. Hannah Durham, 28, of Cape Girardeau, is charged with felony stealing and fraudulent use of a debit card.
The victim went to the sheriff’s office after discovering fraudulent transactions on his checking account, according to court documents cited by KFVS. Investigators say surveillance video later showed Durham using the card at multiple locations in Cape Girardeau County over several days.
The charges are allegations. Durham has not been convicted in the case.
The Card Was Allegedly Used for Several Days
KFVS reported that the victim contacted the sheriff’s office after learning that nearly $4,500 in fraudulent transactions had been made from his checking account. He told investigators he believed the debit card had been stolen and activated after the bank mailed it to his previous address.
According to the probable cause statement cited in the report, Durham was seen on surveillance video using the card at multiple Cape Girardeau County locations. The alleged card activity happened between July 12 and July 15.
Durham Was Booked on a $15,000 Bond
Durham was being held at the Cape Girardeau County jail on a $15,000 bond, according to KFVS. Her first court appearance was scheduled for Monday, July 20.
The case remains at the charge stage.
Old Mailing Addresses Can Become Card-Fraud Risks
Cardholders who move should update their mailing address directly with every bank, credit union, credit card issuer, loan servicer, payroll provider, and benefits account, not just file a general address change.
Account alerts can also narrow the damage. Transaction notifications, card-activation alerts, low-balance alerts, and online banking sign-in alerts may show a problem before several days of purchases build up. The FTC says people should report lost or stolen debit cards right away because federal liability protections can depend on how quickly the loss is reported.
Anyone who realizes a debit card was sent to an old address should contact the bank immediately, cancel or lock the card, request a replacement sent to the correct address, review recent transactions, and ask whether any card activation, PIN, phone number, or mailing address changes were made.
Suspected debit card fraud should be reported to the card issuer and local law enforcement. If a card may have been stolen from the mail or never arrived, a report can also be filed with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.