You may think that your credit card and banking information is worth a lot of money to potential crooks. If you do, you’re wrong. There’s so much stolen personal information out there and banks are getting so good at cutting off compromised credit cards quickly that it’s driving the price down.
crime
By 4.9.08
../../../..//2008/04/09/man-and-comcast-employee-gets/
Man (and Comcast employee) gets laptop and XBOX back after unleashing mobs of vigilante internetters on the thieves. [Philly Daily News] (Thanks, Markus!)
Old Wal-Mart Man Attacks Older Wal-Mart Man With Pricegun
By 4.8.08
A 70-year old Wal-Mart worker beat a 81-year-old fellow employee with a pricegun inside a Florida Wal-Mart.
Dennis O’Brien and John Esposito began arguing Sunday and O’Brien swung at Esposito with the tool in his right hand. Authorities say Esposito suffered a swollen left eye and cuts on his nose and mouth. Esposito said both he and O’Brien worked at Wal-Mart. He would not discuss the nature of their argument. The report says O’Brien told a sheriff’s deputy he acted in self-defense, but security tape showed O’Brien raising his hand first, striking Esposito in the face and then pushing him to the ground. Officials booked O’Brien into the Palm Beach County Jail on aggravated battery charges.
Since they were both employees it couldn’t have been about a receipt check, so I’m really at a loss as to what they could be arguing over.
Don't Believe That Guy Who Works At Lowe's Who Can "Get Everything 1/2 Off"
By 4.2.08
Here’s the story of a guy who had to learn the hard way that “your friend who works at Lowe’s and says he can get you everything 1/2 off” is a liar and a criminal.
Scam Watch: Credit Card Shaving
By 3.31.08
Have you heard of “credit card shaving?” In this version of credit card fraud, thieves try out 16-digit number sequences until hitting one that works. Then they take gift cards from stores and shave off the digits and glue them onto a credit card. They scratch the magnetic strip so the clerk has to enter the credit card number by hand. It’s apparently all the rage in Portland There’s no defense against it except to monitor your statement for suspicious charges.
Suspected Hat Stealer Drops Dead In Macy's
By 3.31.08
Last Thursday, a 400-pound man in his early thirties was confronted at a Macy’s in Oakland, California, and accused of shoplifting a hat from the men’s department. According to CBS News in San Francisco, “Security officers at the mall then attempted to arrest and detain Gomes, who allegedly resisted and assaulted security personnel, according to police.” The police were called, but on their way to the mall they received a follow-up report that the man had become unresponsive. He died later that evening at a hospital.
Verizon Clerk Threatens Customers With Switchblade
By 3.24.08
A Verizon store employee in Monticello New York was charged with criminal possession of a weapon after threatening two customers with a switchblade knife after getting into an argument with them. The disagreement spilled out into the parking lot where the 27-year old employee, Shereem S. Burch, continued to wave his blade at the couple. Most likely they were probably trying to get out of contract without paying termination fee and Shereem decided to take matters into his own hands and exact a little termination fee of his own devising.
Woman Sues American Airlines Over Masturbating Passenger
By 3.17.08
A woman has filed a $200,000 lawsuit against American Airlines alleging the flight crew failed to protect her from a passenger who moved into the seat next to hers while she was sleeping, then “masturbated to her” and—well, you’ve seen “There’s Something About Mary”? Yeah, that.
Enzyte's Steve Warshak (And His Mom) Found Guilty!
By 2.23.08
Hooray! Steve Warshak, the snake oil salesman responsible for Enzyte (and consequently for those awful “Smiling Bob” ads) was found guilty today of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering. So was his mom.
Commerce Bank Accidentally Gives You $5 Million
By 2.21.08
Commerce Bank accidentally deposited $5 million into Benjamin Lovell’s account. He spent $2 million of it and now he’s being charged with grand larceny.
Home Depot, Lord & Taylor, Walmart Hire Law Firms To Harass, Bully Alleged Shoplifters
By 2.20.08
The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article about retailers who hire law firms to engage in something called “civil recovery,” in which alleged shoplifters are harassed into paying thousands of dollars… even if the case against them has been dropped, or the retailer never intended to sue at all.
Two Georgia Gas Stations Closed For Shorting Customers
By 2.19.08
Georgia state inspectors closed two large Cisco gas stations just across the state line from Florida last week in what the Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture described as “one of the worst cases of shorting gas customers he’s seen since he took office back in 1969.” (Why Ag? Why not?) An inspector found that a five gallon test pump turned up over a quart short at the Cisco Travel Plaza off Interstate 95’s Exit 6, and a similar test revealed a suspiciously similar shortage at another Cisco Travel Plaza off Exit 1.
By 2.18.08
../../../..//2008/02/18/if-youve-just-realized-that/
If you’ve just realized that someone has stolen your catalytic converter, here’s why they did it. [Wired]
Gas Station Attendant Busted For Re-Using Customers' Credit Card Numbers
By 2.16.08
A 23-year-old gas station attendant in Massachusetts has been charged with identity theft after a customer noticed that her card was used to make additional purchases a few hours after she’d been at the station.
Free Advice: Don't Deposit Bags Of Meth In The ATM
By 2.15.08
Here’s a little free advice from your friends at The Consumerist: Don’t deposit bags of meth at the ATM. You don’t get any interest and they’re probably going to figure out who are after they see your name and account number.
Follow Up: Woman Tasered Last November At Best Buy Will Not Have Charges Filed Against Her
By 2.12.08
On November 26th, a 35-year-old woman was shopping at Best Buy in Daytona Beach, Florida when there was some sort of communication breakdown, and a police officer who was at the store tasered her. We wrote about it here, and it turns out there’s a video of the event here. At the time there were few details, but the full story has since been pieced together and resolved, and last week the Florida state attorney said “charges won’t be pursued because there is no evidence that Beeland committed a crime.”
Thief Pretends To Work At Target, Steals $17k Worth Of iPods
By 2.8.08
The North Miami police are looking for Antonio McKenzie, a “fake Target clerk” suspected of stealing numerous iPod Touches from Target Department Stores in South Florida.
Man Accused Of Rappelling Into Kmart Punches His Lawyer In The Face
By 2.7.08
Here’s an odd bit of retail-related crime.
