Fast-Food Worker Accused of Credit Card Theft at Drive-Thru

A South Jersey fast-food worker has been charged with stealing information from a credit card used at a drive-thru window and then using the information to make unauthorized purchases online.

Wendy's Drive-Thru Worker Steals Credit Card Info, Buys Stuff Online

Stafford Township Police say that Du'preme J. Holland, 25, of Manahawkin, was arrested after stealing credit card information on December 15, while working at the drive-thru window of Wendy’s, on Route 72 West in Manahawkin, and then using the stolen card information to make unauthorized purchases online.

Holland was arrested on Dec. 30th and is in the Ocean County Jail awaiting a hearing.

It seems like a good time to look into how often this happens and how to protect ourselves from getting ripped off.

How often does this happen, and what can you do to prevent it?

How Does This Happen?

One police department in North Carolina reposted a Facebook page warning about how workers in restaurants and retail stores can steal your information when you give them your debit or credit card.

"I started getting a lot of complaints about people going through drive-throughs and their cards being compromised right after they left the drive-thru.

Then I had some informants come to me and say, Hey, I know this person who's doing this inside the restaurant. When somebody hands a credit card through the drive-through window, they have their phone set up to record the front and then the back of the card."

 

When You Use Your Debit Card

This particular case talks about the theft of credit card information, but let's start with how to treat your debit card.

Experts say to only hand over your debit card if you can physically see it being swiped. If it leaves your line of sight--- don't use your debit card.

When You Use Your Credit Card

If your card has to be swiped where you can't see it being done, only use your credit card.

Your credit card and your debit card may look the same, but they operate very differently. Your credit card is just a charge-- that can be easily reversed.

Your debit card (even if you use it as a credit card) is linked to your bank account, and that means real money is out of your account.

It will be a process to get it back into your account, and in the meantime, you may have no access to the rest of your money in the account.