Credit card fraud ring suspected in area

Historic City News has learned that two Asian men are being sought in connection with a credit card scheme that was discovered locally last month, but may have been part of a larger crime ring operating in the area for a longer period of time.

At least four unknown persons, working with other small groups, are thought to be committing credit card fraud using information stolen from patrons of the Ichiban Chinese Buffet, at sometime between January 5th and 11th.

“It appears that a temporary waiter, who stayed long enough to collect multiple card numbers, used a device to store the account information from credit cards of customers as they paid their checks,” Kevin Kelshaw reported from the St Johns County Sheriff’s Office. “The skimmed credit card numbers were encoded into counterfeit cards that were later used to purchase gift cards from multiple businesses throughout northeast and central Florida.”

From surveillance video taken as the bogus credit cards were passed, investigators believe these two men were involved in the local organization:

Suspect #1 – Asian male (possibly Chinese), 45 – 55 years of age, 5’6” – 5’9” tall, 160 – 180 lbs, short/close-crop/well ­groomed black hair, brown eyes, usually wearing a long sleeve button down shirt, slacks and a “fanny pack” type of purse around his waist

Suspect #2 – Asian male (possibly Chinese), 25-30 years of age, 5’8” – 5’10” tall, 145 – 170 lbs, short/bushy/well-groomed black hair, brown eyes, usually wearing long sleeve shirt with dark colored vest over the top, and wearing a large gold watch

Financial Crimes Detectives began their investigation late last month when several victims reported fraudulent activity on their credit cards — each had dined at the Chinese Buffet about a week earlier.

As police monitored the credit card number activity, they observed a pattern emerging. The cards were primarily used at home improvement businesses or grocery stores to purchase $500.00 gift cards.

Detective Kevin Greene hopes that some Historic City News reader will recognize one or both of these men or have information as to their identity or their whereabouts. You can remain anonymous an possibly earn a reward of up to $1,000 by calling CrimeStoppers of Northeast Florida toll-free at 1-888-277-TIPS.