Secret Service makes arrests in Home Depot, Lowes scam

<p>Secret Service agents arrested three suspects Thursday in a scam that used switched bar codes to steal at least $150,000 in rugs and other merchandise from Home Depot and Lowes stores across the South.</p><p>At least a half-dozen other people are being investigated in the scheme that allegedly went on for nearly two years, and authorities warned others not to try it during the busy holiday shopping season.</p><p>We are very good at what we do. If you commit these type of crimes we will catch you and we will prosecute you, said U.S. Attorney William S. Duffey Jr.</p><p>David Oliver, 34, of Hampton, Ga., his wife Mindy Oliver, 38, and Marcus Abercrombie, 33, of Duluth, Ga., are accused of taking bar codes from cheaper items and affixing them to high-end rugs at the home-improvement stores in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina and South Carolina.</p><p>They would then allegedly proceed through the checkout lines and pay just $29 for rugs worth hundreds of dollars.</p><p>Investigators say the three would return the rugs at other Home Depot and Lowes stores for a refund of the actual price. In Home Depots case, when people return items without receipts the store routinely gives vouchers for a store credit.</p><p>The thieves would take the vouchers and sell them on the Internet auction site eBay or through a pawn shop run by Abercrombie, the agents said. They would also buy items with the gift card vouchers, including refrigerators, faucets and other household goods, and sell those items on eBay.</p><p>The three are charged with conspiracy as well as possession and trafficking of the gift card vouchers. Prosecutors said the crimes covered acts between February 2002 and last month.</p><p>There was no answer Thursday at Abercrombies EPawn shop or his home. Phone numbers for the Olivers were not listed in directory assistance. Its not clear if the three have hired lawyers yet. Authorities said the suspects would likely appear in court by Friday.</p><p>Investigators say computers, gift card vouchers and other items have been seized from the suspects, who used multiple residential and e-mail addresses to try to conceal their identities. They said the total amount of fraudulent transactions could reach much higher than $150,000.</p><p>Atlanta-based Home Depot is the nations largest home improvement store chain. Wilkesboro, N.C.-based Lowes, with about half as many stores, is the nations second-largest home improvement chain.</p><p>In a statement, Home Depot said it has put into place the necessary resources, both people and technology, to combat incidents like the one that just occurred. It declined to elaborate on what those changes would be, saying any details released to the public could help thieves.</p><p>Home Depot learned of the scheme in June when an employee noticed numerous rugs were being purchased for $29 a piece when they looked more expensive. The crimes were reported to the Secret Service, which specializes in electronic crimes, and it was found that fraudulent transactions had also occurred at Lowes stores.</p><p>___</p><p>On the Net:</p><p>HASH(0x2864bec)</p><p>HASH(0x2864c70)</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2003/12/181969