Trio Arrested for Possession of Drugs and Fraudulent Gift Cards

Hancock Co., A trio from Ohio is now incarcerated in the Hancock County Jail after being arrested on drug and fraud related charges in Hancock County.

Yesterday afternoon, December 22^nd at approximately 5:00 p.m., Trooper Nate Raney of the Criminal Investigative Division, Methamphetamine Suppression Section, was driving through the Kroger parking lot on N. State Street in Greenfield, IN. While passing through he observed a male and female exit the store and was being followed by another male. The following male was holding a cell phone in a position that appeared to be filming the male and female he was following.

Trooper Raney identified himself to the man filming and he explained he was a manager at the Kroger store. He suspected the man and female he was following had purchased several gift cards utilizing other gift cards to complete the transactions. This type of transaction is often consistent with persons utilizing stolen credit card numbers. A total of $200.00 had been applied to the new gift cards.

Trooper Raney made contact with the two individuals in a Cadillac that they had entered after leaving the store. While speaking with the driver, Jowana Jenkins, 39, of Ohio, Trooper Raney detected the odor of suspected marijuana coming from the vehicle and requested the assistance of a Hancock County Sheriff’s Department K-9. The K-9 indicated the odor of narcotics in the vehicle and a search located suspected marijuana, narcotics and over 230 gift cards.

An investigation of the recovered gift cards have shown that 108 are fraudulent and contain stolen card numbers.

Three individuals inside the Cadillac were arrested and transported to the Hancock County Jail.

Jowana Jenkins, 39, of Ohio.  Jowana Jenkins was arrested for possession of marijuana, possession of narcotics, fraud of a financial institution and attempted fraud of a financial institution.

Tiara Jones, 30, of Ohio. Jones was arrested for possession of marijuana, fraud of a financial institution and attempted fraud of a financial institution.

Kejuan Jenkins, 23, of Ohio. Kejuan Jenkins was arrested for possession of marijuana, fraud of a financial institution and attempted fraud of a financial institution.

Consumers are reminded to check their financial statements often and to investigate any questionable purchases. Many times the card holder do not realize their card numbers have been stolen until sizeable purchases have been made.

Media: Mug shots are Tiara Jones, Jowana Jenkins and Kejuan Jenkins

Investigating Officer: Trooper Nate Raney, Indiana State Police

Assisting Agencies: Greenfield Police Department, Hancock County Sheriff’s Department, United States Secret Service

Below are eight credit card safety tips from Bank of America:

 

1. Credit card safety first
   • Sign the signature panel on the back of your card as soon as you get it
   • Never keep your PIN code in the same place as your card
2. Keep your account number private Thieves don’t need the card to get into your account, just the number. So for the sake of credit card safety:
3. Keep your card private—don’t let anyone see it when you’re out in public
4. Don’t give the number out over the phone unless you initiated the call and you’re talking to your bank or a merchant you trust
5. Never answer an email that asks for your account number or personal information—even if it looks like it’s from your bank or a reputable company or organization
6. Consider paperless statements to remove your sensitive information from the postal system
7. Store paper statements and other documents with sensitive information securely—and shred prior to disposal
8. Tell your credit card issuer if you’re changing addresses so statements and other notifications about your credit card follow you to your new home
9. Periodically check to ensure your bank or credit card issuer has your current phone number and email address on file so you can be contacted quickly if necessary
10. Use online payments where possible to avoid the risk of a lost or stolen check or account number in the mail
11. Extra spaces on the receipt? Draw a line through them before you sign, so nothing can be added later
12. Keep your receipts and check them against your billing statements
13. Don’t just toss receipts and duplicates—shred the ones you don’t need and securely file the rest
14. Make sure your computer is equipped with a firewall, which prevents unauthorized users from gaining access to your computer or monitoring transfers of information to and from the computer
15. Be sure to download and install any operating system and software updates (sometimes called patches or service packs) in a timely manner
16. Make sure your browser software is up to date
17. Equip your computer with virus-protection software, such as McAfee Internet Security
18. Utilize fraud protection software. Bank of America customers can download free Trusteer Rapport software to help protect their account information
19. Avoid downloading software or programs from unknown sources
20. Shop with established businesses that you can contact easily if there’s an issue
21. When shopping on your mobile device, check to be sure the sites are secure by looking for web addresses with https: in the address
22. Don’t share personal info unless you absolutely have to—and you know how it will be used
23. Check payment terms, refund and return policies, shipping costs and guidelines
24. Print or save (to your desktop) electronic copies of receipts, confirmation numbers and emails
25. Choose effective passwords that use both letters and numbers
26. Avoid using names, birthdays or anniversaries
27. Never share your passwords—and never keep them near your card
28. Consider changing your passwords periodically and don’t use the same password for all your accounts
29. Be careful with your receipts
30. Make sure your devices and networks are secure
31. Think credit card protection when you shop online
32. Keep your passwords secret
33. Check your account often Reviewing your recent account activity is fundamental to credit card safety—and it’s easy. You can do it online or by phone. If your credit card issuer offers email or mobile alerts about unusual activity, sign up to receive them. If you’ve been a victim of fraud or identity theft in the past, consider signing up with a credit-monitoring service. (Have a credit card with Bank of America? Good news: You receive fraud monitoring and analysis free as part of our Total Security Protection^® package.)

Report lost cards and suspected fraud right away If you lose your credit card or suspect fraudulent activity, contact your bank or credit card issuer right away. Your credit card issuer can block your card and account number so no one else can use them, and then give you a new card and account number. Remember: Speed is critical. According to U.S. law, once you notify your issuer that your card was lost or stolen, the most you’ll have to pay is $50—and many issuers waive that as long as you notify them promptly.

All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.