Secret Service Investigates Credit Card Fraud Scheme In MWC

The United States Secret Service is investigating a credit card fraud scheme involving a group of people in Midwest City.

Officials said the credit card fraud scheme includes the use of counterfeit credit cards and counterfeit identification documents to defraud various credit card companies.

In the affidavit for search warrant, Special Agent Matthew Iver stated, on January 3, 2014, Midwest City police arrested Crystal Truitt for having counterfeit credit cards, a stolen passport and a credit card embossing machine in her possession. Truitt later told police she had been recruited by Derrick Albers and Rachel Hall to verify credit card numbers for future merchandise and drug purchases.

5/18/2013 Related Story: Consumer Watch: What Identity Thieves Don't Want Us To Know

Records showed Hall was arrested in Tulsa County in August 2013 for possession of counterfeit credit cards, similar to those Truitt had when she was arrested. About three months later, Oklahoma City police arrested Albers and Hall for possession of counterfeit credit cards and counterfeit identification documents. Further investigation revealed Albers used false names, such as Walter Ensman, Victor Golescu, Bill McCoy and Tommie Martin, to ship merchandise to Oklahoma City metro addresses.

According to Agent Iver, on March 16, 2014, Hall was arrested for driving a stolen vehicle and provided officers with a counterfeit driver license with the name of Callie Hart. Inside the vehicle, police found mail addressed to Tommie Martin at 1005 E. Lockheed Dr. in Midwest City and a new customer utility hook up document with an email address belonging to Rachel Hall. The reference provided was Callie Hart, and the phone number listed belonged to Albers.

As stated in the affidavit, when police arrived at the Midwest City address, they found Albers' gray Cadillac DTS in the driveway. After knocking on the front door and voicing police presence, officers witnessed people running out the back of the home. Police entered through the unlocked front door and found computer devices, phones and what was believed to be marijuana. Albers barricaded himself inside the attached garage for about one hour before he was agreed to come out and was arrested. A garage sweep revealed drug paraphernalia, surveillance devices and computer equipment.