4 Eufaula teens arrested after fraudulent use of credit card investigation
UPDATE 9/22/2022 at 6:15 P.M.: An additional arrest has been made in an ongoing investigation into the fraudulent use of credit/debit cards at The Lakeside School.
Leslie Nelson Swain III, 18 of Eufaula, was arrested on a probable cause warrant Thursday for one count of Conspiracy to Fraudulently Use a Credit Card. Swain is alleged to have conspired with one or more persons to use a stolen debit/credit card to purchase goods with the knowledge the goods were being purchased without authorization The investigation into the unauthorized credit/debit card use remains ongoing.
Original story: An investigation into several credit/debit card numbers being obtained and fraudulently used has culminated in the arrest of 4 juveniles, police said. Both victims and suspects attending the same school: The Lakeside School in Eufaula.
“During the investigation, it was discovered that the unauthorized purchases have been taking place since the last school year,” police added. “Five victims have been identified thus far, although there may be additional compromised accounts discovered.”
The card numbers were being obtained in an area common to athletes where the suspects were going through personal property and finding the cards. The cards were then photographed, shared among the suspects, and purchases made.
“One victim’s card had over 200 unauthorized transactions made against it,” police said in the press release. Fraudulent purchases totaling almost $5,000 were made against the cards and accounts, with the suspects receiving the illegally obtained goods. Some of the property has been recovered.
The four suspects arrested range in age from 14 to 17 and an addition arrest may be forthcoming. Police then said, “The names of the suspects will not be compromised or released to anyone due to their juvenile status.”
All suspects were arrested on charges of Fraudulent use of a Credit Card, which is a felony in Alabama. Juvenile petitions were obtained and juvenile court proceedings are pending.
If anyone has any additional information that may be useful in this case, they are urged to contact the Eufaula Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 334-687-1200 or the Anonymous Tip Line at 334-6897-7100.
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