MEMPHIS — A 15-year old boy posed as a police officer to steal people’s credit card numbers, then racked up hundreds of dollars in charges for pizza and a house party, authorities said.
The Commercial Appeal reported that the ninth-grader was charged with three felonies, including unauthorized use of a credit card. He was arrested Thursday.
The boy created a fake officer named Capt. Tyrone Banks and used smart-phone applications to find information on potential victims, said the Shelby County sheriff’s office. He then asked to verify victims’ credit-card numbers, playing a police scanner in the background during the phone conversations to give himself credibility.
Sheriff’s officials said the boy charged $500 worth of pizza; $800 for a house party; and $874 to pay a friend’s utility bill.
Front Section, Pages 10 on 10/30/2011