dway@heraldsun.com; 918-1035
CHAPEL HILL -- Photos showing a woman allegedly defrauding a Chapel Hill bank with an invalid credit card have been released by authorities, who are still seeking clues as to her identity.
"It's fraudulent because ... the person's name that was on the credit card was not the person who was presenting it, and the [victim] did not have a card issued by that company," said F. Leo Vereen, captain of investigations with the Chapel Hill Police Department. "During the follow-up investigation this was discovered."
The attempt to get a cash advance on the false credit card was committed about 2:15 p.m. July 30, but was thwarted by employees at Bank of America, 100 Banks Drive.
"They called us, and as we were responding, the person figured it was taking too long and left, Vereen said.
"We don't get many of this nature where they've gotten a credit card and they've made it up, or forged somebody's number onto a credit card," Vereen said.
"Most of the time it's checks being presented, and the banks figure out they are fraudulent checks before the person leaves. In other times, they [the checks] look totally legitimate" and if it is verified as an active account, a person may be able to get money, he said.
The victim in this case lives out of state.
The suspect is described as a black female, between 25 and 35 years old, wearing a black tank top shirt, black dress pants and black sandals.
"We have no leads at this time where that person resides. So any help that the citizens can give us, we would appreciate it," Vereen said. "It could be it's a person that resides here in Chapel Hill or Durham."
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Sgt. Rodney Matthews at (919) 968-2767, ext. 128, or Crime Stoppers at (919) 942-7515. Calls to Crime Stoppers are confidential and the caller may be eligible for a cash reward up to $2,000 for information that leads to arrest.
