Panama police arrest suspect in credit card fraud case

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – A suspect wanted for making fake purchases with a credit card has been arrested after his photo appeared in local media.

Detectives from the Panama City Police Department said they arrested 41-year-old Bryan Lee Fussell on Thursday based on advice from the public.

Officials said Fussell allegedly used a lost credit card in a local parking lot to purchase more than $260 worth of cigarettes from a convenience store.

Detectives say Fussell has been charged with fraudulent use of a credit card, two counts of felony use of personally identifiable information and two counts of trafficking in stolen property for giving the cigarettes to others.

If you have information about this person or recognize others in this case, contact the Panama City Police Department at (850) 872-3112.

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ORIGINAL STORY: Wednesday, January 26, 2022 (6:00 p.m.)

Imagine having your credit card or banking information stolen and misused. Panama City police are asking for the community’s help as they try to identify several suspects who did just that.

Five different suspects, involved in two separate cases, are all wanted by the Panama City police.

“We began reviewing these cases in early December 2021. And all of our investigative leads are coming back negative,” Lt. Christopher Taylor said.

Now the police are asking for help.

Four people are accused of using a fake debit card to spend thousands of dollars at local Walmarts, including those in Panama City, Panama City Beach, Lynn Haven and Marianna.

“They were able to create fraudulent checks to a real bank account, deposit the money, create a fraudulent debit card and go shopping,” Lt. Taylor said.

The second case involves a white man who allegedly used someone else’s credit card to purchase more than $250 worth of cigarettes.

“Someone may think that’s insignificant, but again, we’re back to a $260 charge that they clearly had nothing to do with,” Lt. Taylor said.

Lt. Taylor said the pandemic has made it harder to identify criminals as people are now covering half their faces with masks.

“If you don’t physically know the person, sometimes it’s very difficult to identify the person without someone saying hey I know this person even if they’re wearing a mask,” Lt. Taylor said.

While keeping an eye on these people, remember to keep an eye on your bank account.

“Check your credit card statements, your debit card statements. If anything is wrong or you are unsure, contact your bank,” Lt. Taylor said.

If you recognize any of the individuals, contact the Panama City Police Department at (850) 872-3112.

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