Business Owner Busted for ‘Gift Card’ Confusion in Credit Card Fraud Case
A local business owner’s alleged attempt at financial creativity landed her in the Marion County Jail after investigators say she used a customer’s lost credit cards to fund shopping sprees across town.
Annette Racine, owner of Annette Discount (formerly M&M Beauty Supply), was arrested after surveillance footage linked her to a series of unauthorized transactions using cards belonging to a customer who reported her wallet missing nearly a month prior.
Detectives say the victim, Yolanda Lingo, lost her wallet on January 2, 2025, and, hopeful of its return, didn’t immediately report her missing credit and debit cards. That hope fizzled on January 30, when she noticed nearly $800 in fraudulent charges racked up at Wawa, Publix, and, perhaps most boldly, at Racine’s own business.
Investigators pulled security footage from multiple stores, capturing a woman identified as Racine using the stolen cards to buy items like Cuban bread, bleach, and avocados. When confronted with the evidence, Racine initially denied any wrongdoing but later pivoted to an unusual defense—claiming she thought the bank cards, which bore Lingo’s name and “DEBIT” labels, were just “gift cards.”
Despite mounting evidence, Racine stuck to her story, ultimately declining to provide security footage from her store that might prove when (or if) the wallet was ever found there.
She now faces charges of fraudulent use of a credit card, grand theft, and criminal use of personal identification—charges that, unfortunately for her, will require more than a “gift card” to resolve.
