Within less than a month of opening, an investigation into the new Popeyes in Richmond Road has been opened after guests reported fraudulent credit card activity, according to the Williamsburg Police Department.
On April 19 and April 21, two Popeyes guests reported that money had been withdrawn from their credit card accounts after going through the drive-through window at the eatery.
The first customer reported going through the drive-through at 3 p.m. on April 19. Later that day after leaving the Popeyes the customer’s bank called and informed the customer there had been fraudulent activity on that customer’s account totaling at around $1,200, according to reports from police.
On Sunday, another customer reported there had been unauthorized payments on his account totaling to $315.90 after going through the restaurant’s drive-through at 12:45 p.m.
Master Police Officer Charles Ericsson said the reports are still being investigated and information is limited. There have been no further reports since the original two.
But, for residents in the Historic Triangle, protection from credit card theft can be a real threat. The Williamsburg Police Department tries to combat any efforts of information threats through various means.
When there is skimming technology, something used to scan credit card information, suspected, Ericsson said officers will check the area for the card scanner. These are often used at gas pumps or ATM machines.
If a person is suspected of using a card scanner, then officers would have to get a search warrant to inspect them or they can search for the technology during an arrest.
There are certain signs to watch out for to make sure there is not a card scanner in place.
When withdrawing money from an ATM or getting fuel at a gas station, Ericsson said to first look to see if the security tape is broken. If it is, that could mean there is skimming technology in place and it should be reported to the owner.
Additionally, in those locations Ericsson recommends giving a slight pull on the machine’s card scanner to make sure it isn’t loose and has not been tampered with.
If a machine is suspected of having skimming technology in place, Ericsson said an officer will come and inspect the area.
But when residents are in a situation such as buying food from a drive-through, there are limited protection options.
“A situation like that, if you’re handing a card over and it will be out of sight, it’s best to use cash,” Ericsson said.
