A cafe owner on the Gold Coast has revealed how he was scammed out of $2,250 by two tradesmen who used a stolen credit card and a convincing act to trick staff into processing a refund to a different card.
Peter Dufty, owner of Caffe Republic, said the conman changed the amount of his $25 order to $2,250 while entering his PIN on a stolen card. He then feigned distress, claiming he had been overcharged, and demanded a refund. During the refund process, he swapped the stolen card for his own, pocketing the money.
Mr Dufty told A Current Affair that the scam only came to light when Westpac called his wife two hours later to inform them they had been defrauded. The stolen card's owner also claimed back the initial charge, leaving Mr Dufty out of pocket by double the amount.
Queensland Police Senior Sergeant Laurie Shevlin described the scam as 'quite a unique crime' for the Gold Coast and urged vigilance. The investigation is ongoing, with no charges yet laid.
