Madeira Beach veterinarian Dr. Shawna Green said her bank usually alerts her to suspicious charges on her debit card by sending an email. But this time, she got a call.
Dr. Green said the man on the other end of the line knew information about her account, and he appeared to have called from a legitimate Chase customer service number. The man suggested she replace her debit card, and during the call, Dr. Green provided her PIN number.
A day later, Chase notified Dr. Green a new card was on the way. But what the bank didn’t say was the card being mailed to a new address — in New York.
When the new debit card got into the hands of the thieves, they spent most of the night using it at stores in Connecticut. They would buy alcohol and then get extra cash with each purchase. Dozens of transactions totaling more than $14,000 came directly from Medicine River Animal Hospital’s checking account.
Describing the incident as “sickening,” Dr. Green said the mistake cost her small business big time. “We just feel so violated,” she said.