The San Marcos Police have made two arrests in what they say is the largest case of credit card fraud in memory.
The evidence room at the San Marcos Police Department looks like an electronics store.
When police arrested the men, they had 50 credit cards and close to $30,000 in video games, mp3 players, computers and movies.
San Marcos Police Commander Terry Nichols said it took hours to log the evidence.
"When you find that they have over 50 credit cards in their
possession and all the merchandise, we knew this was going to be a much bigger case," he said.
Investigators said Hector Gomez, 37, of Guadalajara, and Gabriel Rivas, 31, of Mexico City, made frequent shopping trips to Central Texas.
During each trip, they'd buy thousands of dollars in electronics.
"[He] buys it with fraudulent credit cards in the United States, ships it to Mexico and then resells it," Nichols said.
Police said the credit cards with the suspects' names on them were phony, but the electronic data on the cards were linked to victims' accounts.
Police are still working to identify those victims.
Experts say there are things you can do to protect yourself from this type of fraud.
First, if you use you card online, make sure the site is secure. When using card at a business, watch your card during the transaction.
Hays County District Attorney Sherri Tibbe said you should check your statements carefully.
"You have to be very vigilant with your information. Constantly check your account. If you see fraudulent activity, cancel the account immediately and notify law enforcement," she said.
By Russell Wilde
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