A blind woman in Safford, Arizona, has fallen victim to identity theft - and the perpetrator is allegedly her own friend. According to the Eastern Arizona Courier, the victim asked her friend, Stacey Shurtz, to help her purchase a computer bag online. Shutz then went on to make fraud.ulent purchases using the blind woman's information.

The Safford woman at first did not suspect that any of her friends would have used the card to make the purchases, which totaled $879.44.

After being questioned, Shurtz admitted that she used the victim's credit card information to make nine purchases online through companies such as Verizon Wireless, Dish Network and Pizza Hut.

Unfortunately, the victim's credit card issuer, Merrill Lynch, has decided not to press charges against Shurtz, but against the victim herself. The banker claims that the victim should not have let her friend gain access to the credit card information.

To avoid becoming the victim of credit card scams, consumers should never give their credit card information to a website that is not secure, according to ScamBusters.org. Furthermore, using personal finances to make online purchases may be a safer way to shop.