Two arrested in connection with credit fraud gang

New York--Two suspects who were wanted for their alleged involvement with an in-store credit fraud gang were arrested within hours of each other in different states on July 11, the Jewelers’ Security Alliance said.

The gang is responsible for more than $1 million in losses at multiple stores where they applied for in-store credit using fake California driver’s licenses. The picture on the license shows the individual in the store, but the name included on the license is being fraudulently used, resulting in losses for a number of jewelers.

The JSA sent out two alerts about the gang, on May 2 and July 9, including information about how they were operating as well as few pictures of the suspects that they had obtained. Many local jewelry security networks also distributed the information to retailers in their states to raise awareness.

On July 10, one of the suspects went into a jewelry store in Charlotte, N.C., where he was approved for $18,000 in credit to purchase a $17,000 watch. But the jeweler recognized the man from the JSA alert, which had been forwarded by the North Carolina Jewelers Association, and declined the transaction, telling the suspect that their computers were down.

The JSA was informed that the suspects were in North Carolina, and then alerted many other high-end jewelry stores that were of the type the gang targeted. The suspect was arrested the next day at another jewelry store in Charlotte.

That same day, a second suspect in Houston was recognized because of the JSA alert sent through to local retailers by the Texas Jewelers Security Hotline and subsequently arrested.

The organization warns, however, that one of the gang members is still on the loose and operating in the Houston and Beaumont areas.

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The JSA is encouraging retailers to be vigilant. Check driver’s licenses carefully, front and back, and decline the sale and call police if fraud is suspected.

Jewelers also should double check the contract for their in-store credit card program to determine what the company’s policies and procedures are in fraud cases involving identity theft.

The JSA also is reiterating the importance of sharing information among industry members, as these two suspects were recognized because of alerts.

Since other members of the gang reportedly still are active, remind store staff of their description--to date, they have