Connecticut police are trying to identify a man accused of using bank-card information obtained through a scam to purchase $3,009.75 in gift cards at three stores.
The transactions occurred during the evening of July 27 at Dollar General locations in Montville and Norwich and a Family Dollar store in Norwich.
Montville police believe the unidentified man may be local to the Norwich area.
Authorities have not announced an arrest or disclosed whether the victim has been reimbursed.
Police Say a Scam Exposed the Victim’s Card Information
The Montville Police Department said the man used a scam to obtain the victim’s bank-card information before making the purchases. Authorities have not explained how the initial scam worked or what information the victim disclosed.
Police traced the gift-card purchases to a Dollar General in Montville, a second Dollar General in Norwich and a Family Dollar in Norwich, according to CT Insider. The three-store total was $3,009.75.
Police said that the victim’s bank-card information was allegedly obtained first, and the unidentified man then used that information to purchase gift cards himself.
Police Released Images but Have Not Identified the Man
Montville police released several images of the person investigators want to identify and said he is believed to be local, possibly from Norwich.
The public notice does not establish whether the pictured man personally conducted the original scam or obtained the card information from someone else. No additional suspect, arrest or criminal charge has been announced.
Anyone with information can contact Officer Weyel at 860-848-7510, extension 126, and reference case number 26-00008731. Police said tips may be submitted anonymously.
Compromised Card Information Should Be Reported Immediately
A person who sees an unfamiliar gift-card purchase should contact the bank or card issuer through the number printed on the card or listed in the institution’s official app. The customer should ask the issuer to block further transactions, replace the compromised card and open disputes for each unauthorized charge.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau advises customers to report suspicious transactions immediately. Waiting can affect the protections available for unauthorized debit-card transfers. For an unauthorized transaction appearing on a bank-account statement when the physical card was not lost, federal rules generally require notice within 60 days after the statement was provided.
Credit-card customers should also notify the issuer immediately and follow its dispute instructions. The Federal Trade Commission recommends following an initial telephone or online report with written notice sent to the billing-dispute address.