Holiday shopping leaves buyers prone to fraud

This holiday season, many of you are out and about shopping for the perfect gifts for your friends and family.

But more shopping means more risk for theft and credit card fraud.

One couple in Charlotte County says someone took their money without them even realizing it until they saw strange purchases on their card, and that family now has a warning for other shoppers.

Megan Genna was a victim to fraud, and she said she wouldn’t have caught it had she not noticed one strange charge to her card.

“It was $78 for the Shell in Arcadia and it was $20,” she said.

Nearly $100 swiped from her bank account at places that she says she had never been to: a gas station in Arcadia and a car wash in Naples.

“This is fraud and a lot of people, their debit cards won’t be reimbursed, or they won’t take those charges off because they’re not covered,” she said.

She thought her information was taken at a gas station pump, but Charlotte County Sheriff’s deputies say they didn’t find any skimmers at the location.

“I would hate for somebody to have this happen to them. It’s unfortunate,” said Cindy Shannon of Minnesota. “That’s kinda scary, that’s kinda unnerving.”

This holiday season, shoppers are keeping a closer eye on their bank statements, as they should. Last year, Florida had the highest number of fraud complaints in the United Stats reported to the Federal Trade Commission with more than 200,000 reports.