Credit crimes increase ( 2003-09-18 09:19) (eastday.com) Shanghai prosecutors say
credit-card fraud, while still a relatively small problem in Shanghai, is on the
rise in the city.
The huangpu District Prosecutor's Office revealed yesterday that it has
handled an increasing number of crimes involving misuse of credit cards since
the beginning of this year.
So far, the prosecutor's office has handled 11 cases this year, six more than
during the same period last year. Nine of the cases involved more than 5,000
yuan (US$602).
The latest case saw the former manager of a consulting company charge for not
paying off his credit-card debt.
The manager, surnamed Ding, allegedly used 10 credit cards obtained from
three banks to draw 47,000 yuan (US$5,663) from his accounts over a five-month
period, prosecutors revealed. When the banks asked him to pay the money back, he
refused.
According to an official surnamed Lin with the Shanghai Intermediate People's
Prosecutor's Office, credit-card fraud occurs more frequently in Huangpu
District than other regions.
That's because Huangpu is a traditional commercial center with big department
stores, restaurants and star-rated hotels, where credit cards are frequently
used.
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