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Help Me Hank: Don't give thieves opportunities to steal your credit card information

DETROIT – One woman is sharing her story to warn others about what happened to her when her credit card got into the wrong hands.

The thief only needed moments to carry out the crime and now a police investigation is underway. Police said they have trouble keeping up with these thieves and the way this woman was ripped off took investigators by surprise.

The woman started noticing charges on her credit card that she knew she hadn't made. The charges were racking up quickly. She launched her own investigation, working to track down those responsible, and learned they were doing it from a location in Metro Detroit. She contacted police.

Police believe her card information may have been swiped when she handed it over at a drive-thru window at a fast-food restaurant. Police said the man who took her card quickly took a photo of both sides and shortly thereafter started shopping.

A security expert at Baker College said that, while it's important for businesses to have technology that doesn't require you to hand over your card, it's really up to the consumer to make sure the card stays with them at all times.

Identity and credit card theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes. Police track the problem, busting those behind nationwide hacks and going after the guy at the fast-food window. It's typical that these criminals usually destroy evidence after they've gotten what they wanted, which makes it harder for police to track them or their criminal operation.

Experts say you should never hand over your credit card to anyone. That includes over the phone or online. If someone contacts you and asks for that information, it's likely a scam.


About the Authors
Hank Winchester headshot

Hank Winchester is Local 4’s Consumer Investigative Reporter and the head of WDIV’s “Help Me Hank” Consumer Unit. Hank works to solve consumer complaints, reveal important recalls and track down thieves who have ripped off people in our community.

Kayla Clarke headshot

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.

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