Cape Girardeau County deputies inundated with calls about Jackson wedding planner arrested for credit fraud

News that a Jackson businessman is in jail on credit card fraud charges is bringing a lot more potential victims forward with complaints, Lt. David James of the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department said Thursday.

Michael J. Erzfeld, owner of the Custom Events wedding planning service, has been held in the Cape Girardeau County Jail since Nov. 26. He faces a single felony count of credit card fraud, although detectives anticipate filing several more similar charges before the investigation is complete. Erzfeld's bond is set at $5,000 cash-only.

"Our phones are ringing off the hook in the detective division," James said.

The sheriff's department announced the charges and ongoing investigation Wednesday. Part of the reason, detectives said, is to help identify victims who had not yet filed complaints or, in some cases, even realized they have been scammed.

They accuse Erzfeld of using credit card and other personal information he gathered when conducting real estate classes to make numerous purchases of expensive luxury goods ranging from home furnishings to wine. Many of the calls received so far Thursday, James said, are coming from people who have made deposits on weddings or other events.

"We are trying to sort out some of those, but a lot of people are calling," James said.

There have been a few calls that appear to be additional credit card scam victims and those will be investigated, he said. "Time is on our side," James said. "He is in custody and can't do anything."

It is unlikely that customers of the wedding service who suffer losses of deposits or other payments will see criminal charges filed on their claims, James said. To prove a crime in those cases would require proving that Erzfeld took payments and never intended to deliver promised services, he said.

"There are a lot of people who are irate, but there is not much we can do about it," James said. "They are going to have to sue them for the money."

rkeller@semissourian.com

388-3642

Does this affect you?

Have a comment?

Log on to semissourian.com