FBI Warns Businesses In 8 States, Including GA About Latest Fraud Scheme

GEORGIA — The FBI in North Carolina issued a warning this week for businesses in eight states, including Georgia, about a scheme in which people are using stolen credit card numbers to make large purchases by telephone.

A news release from the agency’s Charlotte Division on Monday says victims have been targeted in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, Florida, West Virginia, and Kentucky.

So far in 2022, more than 100 businesses have been targeted, including tire stores, furniture stores, lumber companies, trailer businesses, and appliance stores, the FBI said.

Once a purchase is made over the phone, items are picked up by drivers and taken to other states for resale, the agency said in the release. In many cases, drivers were hired through online job sites and paid using third-party cash applications and were not aware the items were purchased illegally. Days later, the victim businesses learned the sales were fraudulent.

FBI Charlotte is working with several local law enforcement agencies on the investigation.

“The investigation is ongoing, therefore specific businesses or locations cannot be released publicly to protect the integrity of the case. However, it is important to issue the warning so additional businesses do not fall victim to the scheme.”