A McCreary County, Kentucky, man has been indicted after authorities said he used another man’s credit card to obtain more than $31,000 in merchandise.
The indictment identifies the defendant as Marcus W. Saunders, 52, of Pine Knot, according to WYMT.
Saunders is charged with fraudulent use of a credit or gift card involving more than $10,000 after investigators said he used a credit card issued to another man between Jan. 18, 2025, and May 15, 2025, without authorization.
The purchases totaled $31,759.22 in merchandise, according to the indictment cited by WYMT. Saunders is also charged with theft by deception involving $500 to less than $1,000, and the charges are accusations that have not been proven in court.
The Credit Card Purchases Topped $31,000
The indictment says Saunders knowingly and unlawfully used the card within a six-month period, despite not being authorized to use it. The public report did not identify the stores involved, the merchandise obtained, or how Saunders gained access to the card.
The charge listed in the indictment is fraudulent use of a credit or gift card over $10,000. That charge reflects the total amount investigators tied to the purchases made with the victim’s card.
A Lumber King Account Was Also Involved
Saunders is also accused of charging $865.08 to the victim’s Lumber King account without permission, according to the indictment cited by WYMT.
The theft by deception count says Saunders created or reinforced a false impression to obtain the money, intending to deprive the victim of that property.
An Indictment Warrant Was Served
WYMT reported that the indictment lists a Kentucky State Police detective as a witness. A separate Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office uniform citation said deputies served an indictment warrant connected to the case.
The citation listed the charges as fraudulent use of a credit or gift card over $10,000 and theft by deception involving cold checks in the $500-to-$1,000 range, according to WYMT.
Cardholders Should Check Statements for Repeat Unauthorized Charges
Credit card fraud can continue for months if the cardholder does not catch the first unauthorized charge. In this case, investigators said the spending happened between January and May.
Cardholders should review statements, turn on transaction alerts, report unfamiliar charges quickly, and ask the issuer to replace the card if account information may have been compromised.
Anyone who sees charges they did not authorize should save statements, receipts, account alerts, and merchant names before contacting the card issuer and law enforcement.