Fraudster racked up a shocking $266K in fake Home Depot returns before getting caught — here’s how she did it: police

A woman in Ohio made more than 1,700 fraudulent returns worth a whopping $266,699 at Home Depot locations in various states — and now she’s landed herself in jail.

The Medina Township Police Department identified the mastermind of the multi-state organized retail fraud scheme as Tracy A. James of Peebles, a village in Southwest Ohio.

James made more than 1,700 fraudulent returns worth $266,699 at Home Depot locations in various states. Jammer Gene – stock.adobe.com

According to the investigation, James used fake driver’s licenses and aliases to rack up store credit through fraudulent merchandise returns over the course of several years, MTPD said, per Cleveland 19 News.

The return transactions were made at Home Depot locations in Brunswick, Medina, Miamisburg, Milford, Wadsworth and several Kentucky locations.

After an investigation by the Medina Township Police Department, James is now behind bars. Medina Township Police Department

Investigators said that James used the money she swindled in store credit to buy merchandise that she later resold online.

James was indicted by the Medina County prosecutor’s office on one count of telecommunications fraud, a second-degree felony.

She pleaded guilty on Feb. 27.

The Medina County Court of Common Pleas sentenced James to five years of community control supervision, 180 days in the Medina County Jail and 100 hours of community service.

James also has to pay Home Depot a total of $266,699 in restitution.