Credit Card Fraud Bust At Pavilion Park

MISSION VIEJO, CA — On Tuesday afternoon, Mission Viejo deputies received a report of a suspicious individual loitering around Pavion Park. Arriving officers quickly identified the man, and discovered he possessed a credit card embossing machine, stolen identification and financial information of at least 12 victims, and fraudulent credit cards, Lt. Quyen Vuong reported over social media.

The deputies notified economic crime investigators, who also responded to assist.

The suspect was arrested and taken to jail for numerous fraud-related charges, Vuong said.

"Identity theft suspects often transfer the information from a magnetic strip of a compromised card onto gift cards or other credit cards," Vuong said.

The embosser is used to match the suspect’s name to that on the fraudulent card.

"If you ever suspect your card has been compromised, call your credit card company and ask for a new card," he told us.

Other ways to avoid credit card fraud:

• When swiping your credit card, be on the lookout for card skimming devices.
• Protect your card information when standing in line at a checkout.
• Protect your security code on the back of your card.
• Always cover up when typing in your PIN number.

This was a great example of our community and deputies working together to keep Mission Viejo safe.

If you see suspicious activity, please let us know by calling dispatch at 949-770-6011.