Florida Couple Arrested in PA in South Jersey Credit Card Fraud Case

Authorities in South Jersey say a couple from Florida was arrested last Thursday in Pennsylvania and are now awaiting extradition to the Garden State to face charges related to a multi-state credit card fraud scheme.

The Franklin Township Police Department in Gloucester County says over the past several weeks, they received multiple reports of credit card fraud targeting customers of a local bank. To date, 14 victims have been identified in South Jersey, with that number expected to rise as an investigation continues.

How Investigators Say the Fraud Scheme Worked

According to officials, 24-year-old Olivia Jean Baptiste of West Park, FL, and 29-year-old Michael Rampal of Fort Lauderdale are accused of impersonating the bank's security team members in phone calls with victims.

Detectives believe the suspects used a cell phone application to disguise their number as originating from the bank. During these calls, the pair falsely claimed the victims’ accounts had been compromised and requested personal information for verification purposes.

Authorities described the alleged scheme as follows:

The investigation revealed that Baptiste and Rampal had been renting vehicles in Florida and traveling to the New Jersey area to carry out the scheme. Once they obtained enough personal data, they accessed victims’ accounts and transferred funds onto gift cards purchased at dollar stores across the region. They also used the fraudulently obtained funds to purchase high end items at Best Buy in Vineland, NJ.

As of Monday morning, the total amount defrauded from bank customers is over $22,000.

Arrest Made in Pennsylvania After Traffic Stop

On December 18th, investigators say they learned that Baptiste and Rampal had rented another vehicle and were in the Harrisburg area. The Lower Paxton Township, PA, Bureau of Police located the suspects and they were taken into custody on an unrelated drug charge.

Evidence Recovered During Search Warrant

Detectives there say a search warrant yielded a large amount of cash, 68 gift cards, eleven cell phones, and a laptop.

Authorities believe the suspects may be connected to similar fraud incidents up and down the East Coast and they have already been in contact with investigators from as far away as Massachusetts.

Baptiste and Rampal have been charged with credit card fraud, theft, and conspiracy, with additional charges expected to be filed. They are currently being held in Dauphin County, PA.

The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.