MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Police are searching for a woman who stole from and committed credit card fraud at a Miami Beach boutique that has been struggling through the coronavirus pandemic.
Fabiana Allegro owns Aurora Boutique along 71st Street, which, she said, offers a more personal experience for customers that may include coffee or a glass of wine.
“It hurt me more than anything,” Allegro said. “It really hurt me. This is my baby, like I tell the clients. I felt like somebody hurt my baby.”
On Sept. 23, Allegro said she was duped and scammed out of nearly $2,000. She said the incident began when a woman entered the store and collected several outfits to buy.
Allegro said the woman said her boyfriend would pay with a credit card over the phone. Although the store owner has six-plus security cameras, she said none of them clearly caught the transaction.
The store owner admittedly made the mistake of letting the woman enter the numbers of the credit card on the store’s machine without first writing down the card’s number or asking for ID.
Still, the transaction went through, the shopper left with bags of merchandise and the owner helped her out of the store.
Days later, Allegro said, “I went through my bank account, and I noticed the exact amount was deducted from my bank accounts.”
When she called the company that operates her credit card machine, she said she learned about what had happened.
“She said the charge was disputed, and because it was a Discover card, they are not responsible for the charge or for the fraud, and that case is closed,” Allegro said.
Miami Beach Police put out a flier containing a photo of the alleged crook on Wednesday.
However, the bill is tough to pay for the small business.
“Especially nowadays, we’ve been fighting so hard to just stay open,” Allegro said. “I guess I was naïve. I trusted her.”
Surveillance cameras captured the woman getting into a white SUV that was being driven by another person.
If you have any information on this crook’s whereabouts, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $1,000 reward.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.