Man Used Fake Credit Cards to Steal $150,000

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody today announced the arrest of a Florida fugitive found in Texas. Kevin Anderson allegedly charged more than $150,000 to credit cards created using the personal information of 20 victims residing in Florida and internationally. Anderson’s arrest in Texas is the result of new felony charges of attempted robbery and fleeing and eluding. A multicircuit investigation revealed that Anderson stole several victims’ personal information to make fraudulent transactions by using recoded and embossed credit cards to appear like legitimate cards. Anderson used the fraudulent credit cards across the state to make transactions ranging from large-scale tire purchases, towing and auto-care services to pet food. Attorney General Moody’s Statewide Prosecutors will handle the case once Anderson is extradited to Florida.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “The suspect stole the personal information of at least 20 victims around the world, including many in Florida. He then used the information to make fake credit cards—racking up more than $150,000 in fraudulent charges. His crimes finally caught up with him in Texas, where he was arrested and eventually will be extradited to Florida to face my Statewide Prosecutors.”

An investigation by the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office found that Anderson used aliases Marcus Rollack and Jonathan Hooker in at least 10 similar law enforcement agency fraud cases across the state. According to the investigations, Anderson used the credit card numbers of more than 20 victims, who requested chargeback notifications from several merchants. Most of the transactions occurred at tire shops where Anderson would make large purchases—one shop received a charge of approximately $49,000 worth of tires. Anderson also used the fraudulent cards to make other transactions.

Anderson is charged with organized scheme to defraud, a first-degree felony; criminal use of personal identification information, a first-degree felony; and traffic in or possession of counterfeit credit card, a second-degree felony.

Florida law enforcement's pursuit of Anderson began prior to the suspect committing new crimes in Texas. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office in Texas found Anderson after the man stole fireworks from a fireworks stand in the city of Rusk, Texas. After stealing the fireworks, Anderson fled the scene in a U-Haul, inciting a 100 mph car chase through two Texas counties until law enforcement spiked the suspect’s vehicle to a halt.

Once Anderson is extradited to Florida, Senior Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Whitney Mackay of the Cyber Fraud Enforcement Unit will prosecute the Florida case.