Man gets 8 yrs in jail for using fake credit card

Judge Meinrado Paredes of the Regional Trial Court branch 13 sentenced a man to eight years of imprisonment after being found guilty of violating the Access Device Regulation Act.

Christopher Tan was charged with making purchases using an imitated credit card.

The case stemmed from a complaint lodged by a certain Mr. Johansen, who came here on November 1 to 7,1999. In his complaint, Johansen said his American Express account number was fraudulently used by an unauthorized person who took US$24,497 from it through mail order purchases at Merchants in the United States. The items were delivered at No.35, General Maxilom Avenue, Cebu City of which the complainant, a permanent resident of Sweden, denied having stayed in that address.

Found from him were several assorted access devices or credit cards and credit card charge invoices. Among these were numerous American Express cards.

Finding Tan guilty of violating the Access Device Regulation Act, the court sentenced him between six years to one day to eight years imprisonment. The court also fined him P10,000.