Woman Loses $30,000 in Sophisticated Credit Card Scam

Natalie Haya Tolmas, a facial treatment clinic manager, was defrauded of approximately $30,000 after falling victim to a sophisticated credit card scam. The scam involved an individual impersonating a restaurant employee to trick customers into re-entering their credit card details.

Tolmas had ordered food from Sushi Room in Herzliya. Shortly after, a man claiming to be from the restaurant called, stating there was an issue with her credit card payment terminal and that her credit card had not gone through. Trusting the caller, she provided her credit card details. The scammer then charged $15,000 to her card, and when she questioned it, he claimed it was a system error and asked for a different card, ultimately maxing out her business credit limit.

After receiving a call from the restaurant confirming it was a scam, Tolmas attempted to contact the perpetrator, who denied any knowledge of the situation. She then contacted her credit card company, which eventually managed to confront the scammer. He admitted to knowing the business but claimed everything was fine before disconnecting.

Police have identified the suspect as a 26-year-old resident of the Krayot area, who has a history of similar offenses and faces 20 indictments for known cases. The scam highlights a broader trend where individuals pose as restaurant staff to exploit customers by claiming payment issues and requesting re-entry of credit card information.