Yancy Fisher

A Lehigh Acres man claims someone stole his debit card and used it to drain hundreds of dollars from his bank account. But surveillance video shows a far different story.

On November 4, Yancy Fisher, 30, of 1024 Abrams Blvd., Lehigh Acres, filed a report regarding being a victim of credit card fraud. Fisher reported that he had used his Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union debit card twice that day at the Hess Express located at 5551 Lee Blvd., Lehigh Acres.

Fisher said he made one withdrawal at 8:10 a.m. and a second one at 11 a.m. He then reported that he learned three other ATM transactions had occurred at the same location later that day, two each for $40 and one for $200.

There was also an attempted withdrawal for $400, which was denied. Fisher filed an affidavit of fraudulent use with his bank and provided a copy to deputies. Due to the nature of the case, it was turned over to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Economic Crimes Unit.

ECU detectives obtained surveillance video for all the transactions reported by Fisher, including the two he stated he made that morning as being legitimate, as well as the others he alleged to have been fraudulent and without his knowledge.

Detectives asked Fisher to come in to view still photos taken from the surveillance video. The time and date stamps on the photos were obscured.

The first photo showed a person making a withdrawal at 11 a.m. Fisher acknowledged the person in the picture was him. A second photo was then shown to Fisher of a person wearing the same clothing making a withdrawal at 2:34 pm. Fisher acknowledged the person in that picture was him as well. However, Fisher had initially reported that the afternoon transactions were all fraudulent.

In fact, the surveillance video showed all five transactions, plus the failed attempt to withdraw $400, were made by the same person wearing the same clothing, investigators said.

Following further investigation, Fisher was arrested and charged with defrauding a financial institution, grand theft and making a false report.