Sheriff’s Office Warning About New Scam

(KNSI) – The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office warns stores about a new type of fraud. The sheriff’s office says several jurisdictions in the Twin Cities have seen a large number of thefts using debit or credit cards.

Officials say the scam is called the “cash only” or “K1”. The scam works when a customer walks to the register with cards that look like credit cards, but on the back of each card, there are cashier instructions on how to work with the card.

The scammer will swipe the card, and when it doesn’t work, they give it to the cashier and make up a story about the card being a “cash only” card. The scammer will also say the cards are equipped with a “two-step verification .” After following the steps, the cash drawer opens, and the registration processes it as a cash transaction, but the cashier believes that the credit card worked.

The suspects then leave with their item and a receipt. The scammers then take that item to a different store and returns it for cash.

Several different crews have been identified as operating this type of scheme, and all of them have been from the Flint, Michigan area.

As recently as December 15, a crew of at least five individuals hit six different stores in a matter of 4 hours. Those establishments were Target and Walmart locations in Brooklyn Center, Vadnais Heights, Roseville, Fridley, Coon Rapids, and Blaine.

Officials are warning St. Cloud area stores to keep an eye out for the scam.

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