With the holiday season in full swing, Fayetteville Police warn of a spike in crime, particularly credit card fraud.
Katie Shuster, a senior at the U of A, saw this first hand when her debit card was compromised.
Shuster said she knew something was wrong when her card got declined at a food court in the mall. When she checked her account, all of her money was gone.
By time she contacted the bank and began the recovery process, it took almost two months to get her money back.
“It was really frustrating,” Shuster said.
After 20 years with the Fayetteville Police Department, Corporal Jonathan Snyder said he sees this a lot this time of year. Most of the time, scams are to blame
“You may receive calls this time of the year from people claiming to be law enforcement agents saying you have an outstanding warrant, and this requires cash. This is almost never, ever true,” Snyder said.
He also mentioned some ways to make sure you aren’t giving your information away unknowingly.
“We ask that you call your own banking institution through a secure number, that you know is a legitimate number,” Snyder said.
Snyder also warned online shoppers that anything ordered from outside the United States is more difficult for police to track, putting shoppers at a higher risk of becoming a fraud victim.
-Ashali Vise and Paige Flinchum