CASSELBERRY, Fla. – A 7-Eleven gas station clerk stole credit and debit card information from mostly elderly customers, called their banks to attempt to gain control of their accounts and made thousands of dollars in fraudulent purchases, according to the Casselberry Police Department.
All in all, Nykeshia Smith is accused of making $5,454.20 in purchases using three victims' cards. Another victim was also identified but no money was stolen from her.
Police said the investigation began when a 74-year-old woman reported $964.26 in purchases were made on her debit card at Silver Star Mart in Ocoee, Big Lots, Sam’s Club and Discount Perk.
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Records show the victim had stopped at a 7-Eleven days prior to the theft and forgotten her debit card in the card reader after making a purchase.
When she went to run her next errand, she realized her mistake so she returned to the gas station, but an employee said the shift had since changed and they didn’t have her card, according to the report.
Police said they reviewed surveillance video that showed Smith taking the card from the reader as the victim, who uses a walker and moves slowly, was making her way toward the exit. Smith didn’t attempt to stop the victim or give the card back, authorities said.
The second victim said Smith used his credit card to make purchases at Own It Now Sales, Sam’s Club, Apple.com and Lowe’s, totaling $1,840.35, records show.
That victim said he was a regular customer at the 7-Eleven on South U.S. Highway 17-92 and recalled handing his card to Smith on one occasion, according to the report.
Police said they used cellphone records to determine that Smith called the victim’s credit card company to try to take over the account and recordings show she also deepened her voice during that call to sound like the victim, who is a man.
Records show the next victim went to 7-Eleven on June 18 and Smith asked to see her Discover card, which she then took a picture of without the victim knowing.
Smith later called the victim while pretending to be from her phone company and asked her for the last four digits of her Social Security number and her birth date, according to the report.
The victim said shortly after that she was notified about purchases she didn’t make and when she called Discover, they said Smith was on the other line attempting to gain control of the account, according to authorities. Police said Smith was unsuccessful and no money was stolen from the 65-year-old woman.
The fourth victim, however, was an 82-year-old woman who had $2,649.59 taken from her account in fraudulent purchases at A New Image Baby, which provides sonograms, Penn Credit PCC Trust, Comcast, Happy Face Entertainment and Winn-Dixie, records show.
Police said for many of the purchases, they were able to locate security footage or witness testimony proving that it was Smith using the stolen card. They also brought in her probation officer who was able to identify her voice in recordings from calls made to the credit card companies, the report said.
She’s facing multiple counts of larceny, fraud and grand theft.
7-Eleven, Inc. sent News 6 a statement about the arrest.
“This individual was an employee of an independent franchisee. The franchisee notified 7-Eleven that he has terminated the employee in question. 7-Eleven is fully cooperating with law enforcement. Customers who believe they may have been impacted may call 1-800-255-0711,” the statement read.
Police said Smith was on probation for a 2013 racketeering and identity theft case in Orange County at the time.
A judge granted her $100,000 bond for the Casselberry police case, but no bond for violating her probation.
Police said they are still investigating and there could be more victims.