KFC worker took photos of customers’ credit cards — and went shopping, Florida cops say
A KFC employee made “thousands of dollars” in personal purchases using credit and debit card information she stole from unsuspecting customers, according to Florida authorities.
The 19-year-old worked in the drive-thru at a KFC in Starke where she’s accused of taking photos and video of customers’ payment cards on her cell phone for nearly a week, Bradford County sheriff’s deputies said in a May 2 news release.
The employee was arrested April 21 and charged with three counts of fraud, including illegal use of a credit card, online records show.
The alleged incidents occurred between April 16 and April 21, according to the sheriff’s office. When customers handed over their credit or debit cards to pay, authorities said the worker snapped photos of the fronts and backs of the cards to steal sensitive financial information. She then used that information to splurge on online purchases for herself, deputies said.
It’s not clear exactly how much was spent, but deputies said the teen racked up thousands in purchases in the victims’ names. Authorities said they’ve found “many” victims during their investigation and encouraged others to come forward.
“The arrest of this individual in no way reflects on the Business or the rest of the employees who work hard and do the right thing everyday,” the sheriff’s office said. “They have cooperated with law enforcement and assisting in locating victims.”
KFC addressed the incident in a statement and said the worker in question has been fired.
“KFC and our franchisees take the security of our customers’ payments seriously, and we understand that our guests trust us with their information with each purchase,” a KFC spokesperson told McClatchy News. “This is an isolated incident where an employee allegedly acted maliciously and did not follow our payment procedures.”
The employee was booked into the Bradford County Jail where she remains held on $150,100 bond as of May 3, online records show.
Starke is about 50 miles southwest of Jacksonville.
This story was originally published May 3, 2022 at 9:50 AM with the headline "KFC worker took photos of customers’ credit cards — and went shopping, Florida cops say."