Astoria Police Warn Businesses of New Credit Card Scam

Astoria businesses face financial risks from an unusual credit card scam targeting jewelry, coins, and other resellable valuables, according to a warning issued by the Astoria Police Department on Monday, September 28, 2026. The fraudulent scheme exploits manual card entry loopholes, leaving merchants with total financial losses days after transactions initially appear successful.

According to the Astoria Police Department, the scam unfolds in a distinct three-step sequence designed to bypass standard point-of-sale security. First, the perpetrator attempts to swipe or tap a physical credit card, which terminal systems automatically reject. Next, the scammer prompts the employee to manually type the credit card number into the machine to complete the purchase. The transaction registers as accepted, and the suspect departs with the merchandise. Days later, however, the merchant discovers the card number was fraudulent.

Sergeant Andrew Randall of the Astoria Police Department stated that the scam came to light after an alert business owner reported the incident. Randall noted that while scams involving calls and the internet happen frequently, encountering a scheme leveraging physical credit cards is rare. Scams are pretty common, whether they’re calls, internet, stuff like that, Randall said, I don’t remember the last time I have handled one that deals with a physical credit card. While several local businesses have already fallen victim, police have not released a complete tally of affected merchants.

How Astoria Merchants Are Responding

Local business owners across downtown Astoria are adjusting their payment policies in response to the police advisory. Naomi Peña, owner of Sea Gypsy, praised the police department for publicizing the threat. I’m really glad the police department put that statement out because knowing that’s a possibility now, it’s really good to be aware, Peña said, noting that she immediately briefed her staff on Tuesday morning, September 29, 2026.

Other retailers report similar encounters with forced manual entries prior to the police warning. Vicky McAfee, owner of A Gypsy’s Whimsey Herbal Apothecary, said, We’ve had numerous people (say) that the card won’t scan so we do it manually. Her husband and business partner, David McAfee, added bluntly, But not anymore. Vicky McAfee noted that the timing coincides with the tail end of the local tourist season. It would be terrible (if it happened during the tourist season), especially if they racked up a large purchase … small little stores (like us), if you get a larger purchase you’re like, ‘we’ll run that card however it needs to be ran,’ she explained. She added that while credit card scams remain less common than counterfeit currency issues—such as fake $20, $50, and $100 bills—retailers are halting manual entries until the threat subsides. I know it’s going to upset some people, and of course, if it’s somebody we know, that’d be no big deal, Vicky McAfee said.

Dianne Jackson, owner of Luminary Arts, echoed support for the police outreach. If somebody came in now and asked me to manually put something in, I would probably say, ‘we can’t do that,’ Jackson said.

Police Recommendations to Prevent Fraud

To combat the exploitation, the Astoria Police Department outlines specific protective measures for local merchants. Law enforcement recommends that business owners stop manually typing in credit card numbers altogether, thereby closing the exact loophole scammers target.

Merchants should insist that customers use cards equipped with a chip or a tap-to-pay feature, which relies on encrypted processing to verify legitimate accounts. Furthermore, police urge retailers to request a photo ID from shoppers whenever a transaction raises suspicion. Sergeant Randall emphasized that business owners who suspect fraudulent activity should contact the police immediately. Bad people are always coming up with new ways to try to take advantage of other people and it’s always difficult to hear about, Randall said.