WilCo Man Charged With Making App-Aided Fraudulent Transactions

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX — The Williamson County Sheriff's Office has made an arrest in an organized retail thefts case connected to fraudulent purchases at area HEB grocery stores, officials said Tuesday.

The case is the culmination of an investigation launched earlier this month when HEB loss prevention officials contacted the sheriff's office about the thefts. Ultimately, investigators zeroed in on Christopher Lee Hill to fraudulent transactions made at four store locations throughout the county, officials said in a press advisory.

Hill is alleged to have used stolen credit and debit cards to purchase merchandise from the grocery store chain using the HEB Go app designed to pre-load full credit or debit card information. The app enables customers to scan items pulled from shelves while in the midst of their shopping before paying for the merchandise via the app after displaying a mobile receipt to an employee at a kiosk.

Hill is accused of conducting 102 fraudulent transactions totaling approximately $15,000.00 through the app, sheriff's officials said. So far, 25 of the transactions have been disputed by account holders and charged back to H-E-B as fraudulent, according to the sheriff's office.

As a result of an investigation, Hill was arrested and booked into the Williamson County Jail on Aug. 24 on charges related to credit card abuse.