SHAVANO PARK, Texas – A man has been charged with multiple felonies, including allegedly stealing at least $10,000 from a Shavano Park couple, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by KSAT.
Olajuwon Thompson, 37, was charged with financial abuse of the elderly, credit card abuse and fraud, Bexar County court records show.
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On August 12, Shavano Park police received a report from an 87-year-old man and a 78-year-old woman stating they had been scammed by someone claiming to be part of USAA’s fraud team.
The caller had requested identifying information about the victims’ bank accounts, the affidavit said.
Around noon on the same day, dash cam footage showed Thompson arrive at their residence and take a package, which contained replacement USAA debit cards.
A witness also reportedly saw Thompson at the house shortly before he took the package, according to the affidavit.
The witness asked him what he was doing there. He said that he was a DoorDash worker and was dropping off medication.
The witness told SPPD that after Thompson left, they noticed the package was missing and there was a plastic bag with no medication left at the residence.
After this happened, the victims looked at their USAA accounts and found that there were numerous online purchases made without their knowledge totaling over $10,000 through businesses as Cash App transfers, Uber, Instacart, Lyft and Costco.
Thompson even applied for an Amazon Credit Card, according to the affidavit.
Shavano Park police learned that Thompson had SIM-swapped and taken control of the victims’ cellphone numbers.
SIM-swapping is when a fraudster steals your phone number by tricking your mobile carrier into switching their SIM card with yours, according to the American Bankers Association.
This gives them access to your personal information and allows them to bypass added security checks, such as two-factor authentication, which is what Thompson did to access the victims’ USAA accounts.
This is how he learned about the replacement debit cards being mailed to the couple, the affidavit said.
Shavano Park police told KSAT he flew from his residence in Florida just to steal the cards.
The affidavit stated that he has a history of previous fraud charges and has used multiple aliases. However, officials said they do not believe there are any other victims in Shavano Park or the San Antonio area at this time.
Because Thompson bought plane tickets, SPPD had reason to believe he had already left Texas by the time they began investigating.
Court records show Thompson was arrested on Oct. 3 in a different state for these charges. He was transferred to Bexar County Jail on Tuesday.
His bond is set at a total of $60,000, with $20,000 for each charge, according to court records.
KSAT reached out to USAA for comment. It released the following statement:
“We’re always saddened to hear when someone targets older adults or takes advantage of their trust. We continue to remind members of all ages never to share personal or account information with someone who contacts them unexpectedly, even if they claim to be from the bank. Fraudsters often use urgency or fear to get people to act quickly.
“When contacted unexpectedly, take a moment to pause before acting. Remember STOP:
Stay cautious
Take your time
Only trust verified sources
Protect your information.”
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