HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - A fun night out with friends at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino almost turned into a losing bet for a couple after they caught an employee at a chocolate shop on the complex skimming their credit card.
When Pravin and Daysha stopped by Kilwins for dessert on their way out the door, Friday night, they said the employee who helped them was initially attentive. “He helped us tasting different varieties of chocolates and caramels and all that good stuff,” said Pravin.
However, when it came time to pay, police said, employee Carlos Gonzales got crafty.
“He gave me the dollar amount, took my card, and all of a sudden, this black little box appears in his left hand,” said Pravin.
Daysha and Pravin, who declined to give out their last name, said Gonzales pulled out a small black device about the size of a credit card out of his pocket and slid their card through it, before moving up and running it again through the store’s machine.
Pravin said he noticed right away. “I’m like, ‘Hey, what are you doing with my card?’ He goes, ‘Oh, nothing. I’m just charging you out,'” he said. “I go, ‘Why scan twice? Show me what’s in your left hand.'”
The couple started snapping photos of the 28-year-old and called police. “[I’m] angry, disappointed,” said Daysha. “We were out on a fun night with friends.”
Gonzales was arrested and is facing charges of fraud and using a scanning device.
“Imagine how many other credit cards this kid would have taken. What about the other people?” said Daysha. “At least we caught it, but who didn’t catch him before?”
Despite receiving a full refund, the couple had to cancel their credit card. They worry about others, and hope this is a warning for anyone who hands their card over to a stranger.
“Look at what happened on the other side of the register,” said Pravin. “If this happened to me at 11:30 at night, imagine how many people this has happened to, and they have no knowledge of it,” said Pravin.
The owner of the Kilwins at Seminole Hard Rock said this was an isolated incident and confirmed Gonzales was fired from his position. Nevertheless, police said they are reviewing surveillance video to make sure no one else was targeted.
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