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An Austin woman accused of using another woman’s HSA card without permission last year made her first appearance on Thursday in Mower County District Court.

Anne Nicole Hammero, also known as Anne Nicole Prantner, 38, has been charged with felony financial transaction card fraud – use without consent.

According to the court complaint, a woman filed a report with the Mower County Sheriff’s Office on July 24 in which she stated that she believed Hammero had stolen more than $700 from her Health Savings Account and about $100 from her PayPal account. She reported that she believed Hammero had gained access to the money by using her financial transaction cards without her consent, though Hammero denied involvement when confronted about the missing funds.

The victim said that Hammero was a friend and had a key to her house because she would feed her cat when the victim was gone. She reported that she and Hammero ran some errands together on July 10 and that she later located some of her financial documents under the passenger seat where Hammero had been sitting. She also noticed her HSA card was missing and indicated that the card had been used at ATMs at U.S. Bank and Kwik Trip in Austin.

A detective reviewed ATM photographs of the transactions at U.S. Bank and observed the following transactions:

• July 1 – $303;

• July 9 – $43; and

• July 17 – $43.

ATM photographs from Kwik Trip showed the following transactions:

• June 24 – $323.08;

• July 8 – $40; and

• July 19 – $10

The victim identified Hammero and her vehicle from the photographs taken at both locations.

A warrant was then issued for Hammero’s arrest.

A review of Hammero’s criminal record shows prior convictions for financial transaction card fraud and check forgery.

Hammero will appear in court again on May 6.