Oh “Florida Man”, you never disappoint.
Frederick Lewis, 32, of Fort Lauderdale was sentenced to 37 months, for using stolen credit card numbers to buy over $60,000 in Universal Orlando Resort vacation packages.
Between March 2018 and June 2002, Lewis got stolen credit card numbers from a site that deals in them, and used them to purchase about $62,000 in vacation packages. He, and allegedly others, would then exchange the packages for Universal gift cards.
How did he get caught?
Investigators working with Universal noticed the use of stolen credit cards and contacted the Secret Service in June 2019.
Lewis used different phone numbers, over 20, when calling to book the packages, but they callback numbers belonged to him and his girlfriend. The Secret Service investigated and matched his numbers to Facebook and Instagram profiles. From there they found recordings and were able to match his voice in those social media postings with the recordings of his calls to the Universal Reservation department.
On June 25, 2020, the Secret Service had detained Mr. Lewis at the Volcano Bay water park. According to reports, he turned over his phone and admitted to an agent that “he knew what he was doing was sketchy.”
The relinquished phone had been used to access a website that sells stolen credit card information.
Mr. Lewis was formally arrested in Oregon on October 8, 2020. He pled guilty to the charges.
Besides the 37 month sentencing, Mr. Lewis will also have to pay over $30,780.00 in restitution to Universal Orlando and spend 3 years in supervised release.
Currently it isn’t yet determined where he will spend his 37 months, but the court recommended the Federal Correctional Institution Sheridan in northeast Oregon.
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Source: Orlando Sentinel
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