Credit Card

A 45-year-old woman is being called one of the most prolific criminals operating in Anchorage today. Joanna Lee Stanley is suspected of stealing identities and credit cards. She has 3 active warrants for her arrest. APD says it has been difficult to catch Stanley because she is constantly changing her appearance. Police say you should be proactive in guarding your credit cards to help prevent becoming a victim.  "Keep track of your expenditures, look over your bills every time they come in from your credit card company.

Are you staying in a hotel and getting calls about your credit card info? It's a scam the Anchorage Police Department has warned travelers about and once again more complaints have resurfaced. APD says the scheme works when hotel guests get a phone call with someone claiming to be the front desk and saying there's a problem with their credit card. The guest tells the caller his or her credit card info over the phone and within minutes there are charges made on that card from other locations.

As of Monday, consumers have a little more of a leg up over their credit card companies. New rules are now in effect that protect consumers from what some critics call predatory practices by credit card companies. But the rules help only going forward, not back. Gift shop owner Peggy Carter could have used new credit card rules long before now. "It's far too late for me. It won't help me now," Carter said. She uses credit cards to keep her business afloat, but the banks doubled, even tripled, interest rates in recent months on existing balances.

Last minute shopping can be somewhat chaotic, there are lots of deals, lots of people and little time. It is the kind of situation that criminals are looking for. The Better Business Bureau said people need to take caution so they don't end up a victim of theft or credit card fraud.  "This time of year, it's especially important to know your surrounding, know the situation you're in," said BBB Alaska Public Relations Manager Adam Harkness...

by Jason Lamb Friday, April 30, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Better Business Bureau has issued a warning about an Anchorage recreational-vehicle rental business that's earned a grade of F from the bureau. According to the BBB, B&B RV Rental on the Old Seward Highway near Midtown has racked up numerous complaints over the past few years, all pointing to a troubling pattern of leaving customers with nothing to show for their money. "Since July 2008, the Better Business Bureau has received over 300 inquiries and 12 complaints about B&B RV Rental," said BBB spokesperson Tara Sims.

by Maria Downey Wednesday, December 02, 2009 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Millions more are taking to the Internet for holiday shopping and that's leading to billions lost. According to consumer reports about $8 billion was stolen from consumers over the past two years by cyber crooks. Here are some tips on how to enjoy the convenience without the risk. It's right at your fingertips, which makes cyber shopping more convenient, and in some cases addicting. As consumers are turning more and more to the Internet for their holiday gifts, more warnings are being issued about cyber safety.

Now that the holiday gifts are opened some shoppers have been hit with an unsettling credit card reality.  But don't worry.  Area credit experts say there is help. Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Alaska Chief Executive Office Larry Snider said this happens when we lose control with our cards and do not remember how much we have purchased. “There are many other related expenses that are associated with the holidays,” Snider said.  “Festivities. Family gatherings.  Extra costs for those things that are beyond the basic living expenses.  Those are the areas that can become a surprise.” After all that spending, if you do not have enough in your account, Snider said now is the time to make a plan.

by Ted Land Monday, August 24, 2009 ANCHORAGE, Alaksa -- Would you like sci-fis with that shake? How about comedy? Or some drama? Tastee-Freez on Raspberry Road is one of two places you can find the DVD Alaska vending machine -- there's also one at the Shell station in Spenard. Greg Enders and his wife started the business last month, the first of its kind in Anchorage. "I just love the movie business and the movie industry," said Enders. "I think it's a great idea for Anchorage and it's nice being the pioneer.

Troopers have called off the search for missing musher Melanie Gould, of Talkeetna, after no sign of her has been found except for her truck, parked off the Denali Highway. Gould, 34, who has finished in the top 20 of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, was reported missing by friends and coworkers after she failed to show up for work for two consecutive days at two different jobs. Also concerning them was that she had apparently made no arrangements for care of her small dog yard.

Hundreds of pages of police records chronicle alleged sexual activity between Bill Allen, the former head of oilfield services company VECO, and several underage girls. The U.S. Department of Justice is not pressing charges, but Anchorage Police Department detectives say they have a solid case -- including multiple interviews with Lisa Moore, a woman who says she saw Allen engage in sexual activity with several girls, including her. A warning to our viewers: some of the details are graphic.

The FBI is warning Alaskans Tuesday of a new version of an old scam, involving fraudulent text messages on their cellphones claiming that their credit cards have been deactivated. According to a statement from Kevin Donovan, the acting special agent in charge of the FBI in Alaska, the text messages direct people to a phone number with Alaska's 907 area code. A recorded message asks people to leave their 16-digit credit-card numbers and expiration dates, as well as the cards' personal identification numbers and CVV codes.

According to Manilla.com , an account-organization service that helps individuals organize and manage their expenses, Anchorage was identified in the top ten markets for credit card balances as of the end of December 2012. Anchorage was ranked seventh on Manilla.com's list of the top ten U.S. regions with the highest credit card balances. Baton Rouge, Louisiana ranked tenth on the list and Pensacola, Florida was listed as first.   Contact Jessica Ridgway  

Last minute shopping can be somewhat chaotic, there are lots of deals, lots of people and little time. It is the kind of situation that criminals are looking for. The Better Business Bureau said people need to take caution so they don't end up a victim of theft or credit card fraud.  "This time of year, it's especially important to know your surrounding, know the situation you're in," said BBB Alaska Public Relations Manager Adam Harkness...

A 45-year-old woman is being called one of the most prolific criminals operating in Anchorage today. Joanna Lee Stanley is suspected of stealing identities and credit cards. She has 3 active warrants for her arrest. APD says it has been difficult to catch Stanley because she is constantly changing her appearance. Police say you should be proactive in guarding your credit cards to help prevent becoming a victim.  "Keep track of your expenditures, look over your bills every time they come in from your credit card company.

Anchorage police are looking for a woman suspected of stealing identities as well as credit cards in numerous local financial crimes. APD spokesperson Lt. Dave Parker says 45-year-old Joanna Lee Stanley is wanted on three arrest warrants on charges including three counts of second-degree forgery, two counts each of second-degree theft and scheme to defraud, and one count each of criminal impersonation and issuing a bad check. The total bail on Stanley's warrants comes to $280,000, with a court-approved third-party as well as electronic monitoring required for release.

Are you staying in a hotel and getting calls about your credit card info? It's a scam the Anchorage Police Department has warned travelers about and once again more complaints have resurfaced. APD says the scheme works when hotel guests get a phone call with someone claiming to be the front desk and saying there's a problem with their credit card. The guest tells the caller his or her credit card info over the phone and within minutes there are charges made on that card from other locations.

Anchorage police say this is being classified as a suspicious missing person case, however, there is reason to believe the 63-year-old woman is still in the area. Family and friends of Letitia Baxter are still holding onto hope she will be found. For more than 20 years, Gerhard Hesse and Baxter have been together, but the days he's counting now are the ones they spend apart. Gerhard Hesse says, "Hopefully I hear her voice on the telephone and that she turns up somewhere would be the best sound I ever hear in my life.

Who is Israel Keyes? On March 13, law enforcement in Texas arrested the 34-year-old as person of interest, according to Anchorage police. Records show that Keyes spent at least a few years living and working in Alaska, and the Koenig family said they had never heard of him until March 15 when APD announced the arrest. According to documents KTUU found, Keyes was a former Army Specialist who was praised for his work down in Fort Lewis, Washington. He most recently worked as a general contractor here in Anchorage and his arrest on Tuesday was not his first.

The Anchorage Police Department is warning people of a credit card scam targeting hotel guests. Police say in at least two instances, someone called guests at the Extended Stay Deluxe, identifying him or herself as the hotel manager. The voice, actually a scammer, says there's been a problem running the guest's credit card and they ask the guest to repeat their card number and other key information over the phone. Police say in one of the cases the plan did not work because the victim, who fell for the scheme, almost immediately got another call, this time from the credit card company saying that someone in Buffalo, New York was trying to buy groceries with the card.

Now that the holiday gifts are opened some shoppers have been hit with an unsettling credit card reality.  But don't worry.  Area credit experts say there is help. Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Alaska Chief Executive Office Larry Snider said this happens when we lose control with our cards and do not remember how much we have purchased. “There are many other related expenses that are associated with the holidays,” Snider said.  “Festivities. Family gatherings.  Extra costs for those things that are beyond the basic living expenses.  Those are the areas that can become a surprise.” After all that spending, if you do not have enough in your account, Snider said now is the time to make a plan.