Miami Man Accused in $288K Refund Fraud Targeting TJ Maxx, Marshalls
A Miami man, Eduardo Rodriguez, 47, has been arrested and charged for allegedly orchestrating a large-scale refund fraud scheme that cost TJ Maxx and Marshalls stores over $288,000.
Rodriguez faces charges of grand theft exceeding $100,000 and attempted organized scheme to defraud, according to court documents. His arrest follows an extensive investigation revealing hundreds of suspicious return transactions across Florida.
The case began in 2023 after an investigator from TJX Companies noticed unusual patterns—multiple refunds being issued to credit and gift cards far exceeding the value of original purchases. Authorities say Rodriguez used 18 credit cards and 11 gift cards to commit the fraud.
According to investigators, Rodriguez would purchase merchandise—mainly footwear—online using his real name and address. He would then return the items in-store, receive a generic store tag, repurchase the item, and use the new receipt to return a cheaper or entirely different item at another location, thereby collecting store credit.
He allegedly repeated this method at multiple locations, often recycling the same receipts. Authorities also claim that Rodriguez involved his wife and son in the operation, coordinating fraudulent returns across Miami-Dade and surrounding areas.
By early 2024, TJX blocked his home from making online purchases. Rodriguez reportedly bypassed this by creating new profiles and shipping to alternate addresses. To monitor the scheme, store investigators began marking packages with invisible ink, eventually tracking 56 deliveries.
Investigators discovered that Rodriguez was reselling the fraudulently obtained goods both online and at his business in Homestead’s Redland Market Village. Records suggest he conducted over 740 sales totaling more than $232,000, alongside nearly 1,500 fraudulent returns worth over $288,000 since late 2022.
Between January 2024 and July 2025 alone, he is accused of executing 985 fraudulent transactions, costing the retailer over $128,000.
Rodriguez was arrested Tuesday while attempting to return four pairs of Timberland boots valued at $278. Police found numerous receipts and merchandise in his car, with more items recovered from his home and business. He has been booked into jail with bond set at $40,000 and was ordered by the judge to avoid all TJ Maxx and Marshalls stores in Miami-Dade County.
TJX Companies issued a statement expressing gratitude to law enforcement and declined further comment due to the ongoing investigation.
