A California woman is facing potential prison time for her alleged role in a multi-state retail fraud scheme involving stolen credit cards and gift cards.
Baixue He was arrested last Wednesday by Canton Police during an organized retail crime operation in partnership with the Michigan Attorney General/Michigan State Police FORCE Team. Police allege He drove from California to Southeast Michigan, targeting nearly a dozen stores and purchasing more than $10,000 in gift cards using stolen credit card information.
Lt. Michael Andes said a fraudulent website for a brand-name designer contributed to the theft of one victim’s card. He reportedly purchased dozens of gift cards at self-checkout kiosks in stores including Sephora, Target, and Lowe’s, which were later resold or used to buy high-end electronics for resale domestically or abroad.
He is believed to be part of a larger retail crime organization. Detectives tracked her activity across Van Buren Township, Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, Pittsfield Township, and Scio Township, with an estimated daily fraud of $5,000 to $10,000, potentially totaling millions nationwide.
Oakland University business professor Michael Greiner noted that crimes like this cost businesses and credit card companies billions, with consumers ultimately paying higher prices and interest rates due to chargebacks.
Police advise online shoppers to verify website URLs and check for correct spelling of brand names, especially during the holiday shopping season, to avoid falling victim to such scams. Local shopper Bart DeVos emphasized monitoring accounts and avoiding offers that seem too good to be true.
Baixue He is facing 17 counts of identity theft and is being held in the Wayne County Jail on a $50,000 cash bond.
