Credit card scam widens

Major banks have taken pre-emptive action against potential fraud by canceling the credit cards of people who used the petrol station in Stanwell Park prior to it changing hands last month.

Customers of the National Australia Bank, Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, Citibank, St George Bank and the Illawarra Credit Union have been contacted and questioned on the usage of their cards. A list of transactions has been read out and customers have been asked to identify any that do not belong to them.

In most instances, cards have been cancelled and re-issued even if no anomalies appear.

Where transactions have been made illegally, funds for the most part have been reimbursed.

Stanwell Park resident Rob Killham said $8500 was taken illegally from his Citibank account and it had all but been refunded by the bank.

“The bank picked it up,” he said. “They rang up and asked to check my statements then went through all the transactions to see which were mine.”

Rob said the fraudsters had enjoyed a few large purchases at Retravision as well as a $1700 outlay at a four-wheel-drive store and a few Liquorland spends.

“We’ve had most of it reimbursed but it’s been a nightmare,” he said.

The new operators of the petrol station, Anthony Parrino and Anthony Franko, have found their business is struggling in the wake of the scandal. They wish to emphasise that their adjoining garage business, Strictly Automotive, was not associated with the previous lessees.