The police department wants business owners to be alert for a scam taking place in Kansas City and other parts of the country. Thieves have been covering satellite dishes used to process credit card information with foil. Owners and managers also should be on the lookout for anyone climbing on their building’s roof.
Ok, Midtowners, we need to stay one step ahead of crafty thieves, which means getting up to speed on a new scam they are using to rip off credit card companies.
Since Saturday, Sept. 21, KCPD has received three (a possible fourth is being investigated) reports of suspects covering satellite dishes that stores use to process credit card information with foil. The police say this interferes with transmitting the credit card transactions from the satellite to the credit card companies and this allows thieves with counterfeit, maxed-out or stolen credit cards to have a completely open line of credit to purchase as much as they want.
The scammers have climbed onto rooftops in the 6200 block of St. John Ave., 8700 block of NW 112th St. and the 2100 block of E. 39th St. to pull off the scheme. In the St. John Avenue theft, the suspect used a fraudulent credit card to purchase $1,665 worth of cigarettes.
Kansas City Police say foil has been discovered covering the satellites on the roofs of each of those businesses. They want retailers who transmit credit card information or lottery transactions by satellite to be aware of this scam. If business owners or managers find their satellite covered with foil, they should contact police immediately. Do not remove it until after officers come so police can process the crime scene.
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