Report: Dobbs Ferry Woman Convicted of Gift Card Fraud

A 35-year-old Dobbs Ferry resident has pleaded guilty to defrauding home improvement company Lowe's out of more than $250,000 in gift cards, according to an Associated Press report published on timesunion.com.

Lucerte "Lisa" Abellard was charged in Baltimore federal court following an investigation during which she reportedly would call various Lowe's stores nationwide and pose as an information technology department employee, according to the article.

"Prosecutors say Abellard would claim there were problems with a register, ask an employee to run diagnostics and do a test transaction," the AP reported. "Officials say the test transaction would require putting a credit of about $3,500 on Lowe's gift cards which Abellard held."

Abellard will be sentenced on September 26 and faces up to 20 years in prison.