You Can Use Your Credit Card at Irina's; Police Now Say Fraud Happened Elsewhere

A dozen victims whose were used in spending sprees in department stores around the metro area and state reported using them at the same restaurant, said Thursday.

Police spokesman Lt. Jim Barrett said the management of Eastern Buffet, 4001 Westown Pkwy., is cooperating fully with investigators as they try to determine how the cardholders’ account information was obtained.

Earlier this week, police said the including in Urbandale. Owner Irina Khartchenko said, however, that she believes her credit-card system is secure.

Police  investigators now say neither the management nor staff of any of those businesses are believed to be involved.

Police also don’t know yet how many people may have access to the numbers and other account information.

After paying electronically for their meals, residents of West Des Moines and surrounding suburbs began getting calls from their banks and credit card companies questioning suspicious activity on their accounts. The attempted purchases were primarily at Walmart and Target stores in West Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Ames and Indianola.

Someone attempted to make charges totaling more than $6,250, according to police reports, mostly in increments of $500 and $800. It’s not known how many of the transactions went through. Most of the charges or attempted charges occured between May 10 and May 14, according to police reports.

In one of the instances where credit cards were used at Eastern Buffet, four businessmen from West Des Moines, Urbandale and Ankeny had lunch together May 11. Later that day, each of the men was told by his credit card company that attempts to use the cards had been repeatedly made at a Cedar Rapids Walmart.