A woman who scammed an online eyewear company out of more than $100,000 worth of frames will spend the next year in jail, according to an announcement Thursday from the Georgia Attorney General’s Office.
The company, Warby Parker, offers a free home try-on program in which customers can test up to five pairs of non-prescription eyeglasses before deciding which ones to purchase. To use the program, customers must put up a valid credit card in order to cover the cost of any lost or damaged frames, but they will not be charged if the products are returned intact.
The frames are supposed to be mailed back to the company within five days, but Rachelle Parker, a 39-year-old from the small Fayette County town of Brooks, had other ideas, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
Between October 2017 and September 2018, state prosecutors said Parker opened “hundreds” of online accounts on the eyewear site with separate email addresses and used prepaid debit cards — all with little to no funds.
The woman ultimately ordered and received $126,900 worth of eyeglass frames through the home try-on program and never paid for or returned them. She amassed 1,290 frames through 258 orders, according to prosecutors.
Parker pleaded guilty in April to one count of felony theft by taking, and in exchange a count of racketeering was dismissed. Fayette County Superior Court Judge Rhonda B. Kreuziger sentenced her to one year in jail to be followed by nine years on probation, according to the announcement.
Parker will also be expected to pay $50,000 in restitution to Warby Parker.
“We are proud to be in the fight against online retail crime in our state, and we will not hesitate to pursue those who engage in this criminal behavior,” Attorney General Chris Carr said in a statement. “We are committed to protecting Georgia’s businesses and consumers, and we believe this case sends a message that this type of illegal activity will not be tolerated.”
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