Can Law Enforcement Use Social Media and Credit Card Data to Identify You

[Singingnome]

My question involves criminal law for the state of:US

Hello,
My BFF recently shoplifted, concealing on the floor and in the dressing room. No one said anything and she walked out with no issues but did make a purchase with a credit card.

Then she noticed that a police officer from that jurisdiction was looking at her professional social media page! She is fairly prominent on some professional social media sites and checks who views them. This cannot be a coincidence because she is not in this field.

Does this mean that they identified her via credit card and then looked online to match the pic to the video?

Has anyone heard of police identifying shoplifters via pictures online or using credit card swipes to get the name?

[Mr. Knowitall]

Yes, when you steal, your credit card information can be used to identify you. When you post stuff to social media, and open it up to the world, anybody is allowed to look at it.

There are plenty of cases in which the police have used social media to get tips on crimes or to identify suspects.

[PayrolGuy]

Including the Golden State Killer.

[Singingnome]

She didn't post anything on social media. Her profile just showed that law enforcement was looking at her.

[PayrolGuy]

The profile is social media.

If it happened it may have played out tis way. They thought she did it. She used her card so they had a name. They Google the name and see the profile and the profile was used to see a picture of her.

[Singingnome]

Yeah I think so. I'm just wondering if anyone has heard of this. This seems like overkill for a few cheap items I've never heard of anything like this.