Latest news with #cardskimming
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Card skimming incidents on the rise in Wellington
Wellington police have received 12 reports of offending involving card skimming in the last week. Photo: 123RF Police say people have lost thousands of dollars in card skimming incidents in Wellington. Card skimming is where an offender installs a device with a camera on an ATM or POS (point of sale) terminal to capture data and record pin numbers with a view to creating fake payment cards and making unauthorised purchases or stealing funds from victim's accounts. In a statement, acting inspector Tim McIntosh said police had seen a big increase in the number of victims losing large amounts of money due to card skimming incidents. "In the last week alone, we have received around 12 reports of this offending, where in some cases victims have lost over $5,000." The public needs to be aware of this type of offending so they can take precautions to keep their cards and data safe, he said. There are a number of steps people can take to do this: Police said anyone who thought they had been a victim of card skimming should contact their bank immediately and cancel their cards and accounts. Card skimming victims were also advised to report it to police with as much information about the incident as possible through or by calling 105. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
3 accused of using $600K in stolen SNAP benefits to buy bulk amounts of candy, energy drinks in Ohio
Three people are facing charges after a nearly year-long investigation into the use of card skimmers to steal $600,000 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits across Ohio, according to a spokesperson with the Ohio Department of Public Safety. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Columbus residents Ionut Bizga, 33, Doina Bacelan, 32, and Juan Hernandez, 26, were each indicted in Franklin County Common Pleas Court in May for a 'pattern of corrupt activity and food stamp fraud.' TRENDING STORIES: Person rescued after reportedly falling off cliff while running from deputies, sergeant says 9-year-old girl seriously injured after being hit by a car in Dayton Police investigating after man shot in the arm in Dayton The investigation began in August 2024 after the Ohio Investigative Unit (OIU) received a complaint that stolen SNAP benefits were being used for fraudulent Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) transactions at Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale stores in Columbus, the spokesperson said. The OIU conducted surveillance at these shops and identified three suspects who appeared to be using stolen benefits to buy merchandise. In October, investigators tracked the suspects to an apartment at The Gardens in Columbus, according to the spokesperson. Agents linked the suspects to the fraudulent EBT purchases by using several surveillance techniques and store video. These purchases totaled at least $600,000. According to the spokesperson, the suspects allegedly bought bulk amounts of candy and energy drinks with the stolen benefits, which totaled around $3,000 each visit. The candy and drinks were kept in storage units across Columbus and then shipped out of state in box trucks. They were often sold to a local distributor. The spokesperson said investigators saw the three suspects and several other unidentified individuals installing credit card skimmers at stores in Ohio and Kentucky. The OIU worked with the Ohio State Highway Patrol St. Clairsville Post to conduct a felony traffic stop of Bizga's car on Interstate 70 on May 14, 2025. Bizga and Bacelan were inside the car and arrested for outstanding warrants from Franklin County, the spokesperson said. OIU agents interviewed the suspects with the help of a U.S. Secret Service translator. After obtaining a search warrant for the car, investigators found over $62,000 in cash, several gold coins, gold jewelry, four cell phones, suspected cloned credit cards and records inside. On May 15, agents executed search warrants at five storage units, three cars and one house throughout Franklin County. The following items were seized at the listed locations: 32 cases of energy drinks at Public Storage on Morse Road 232 cases of energy drinks and 205 cases of candy at A+ Storage on East Livingston Avenue 125 cases of candy and seven cases of energy drinks inside a Kia Sedona Two laptops, six credit card skimmers, a credit card terminal, and 18 suspected cloned gift cards inside a Volkswagen Jetta Various records and criminal tools inside a Honda Odyssey Two laptops, two cell phones, 36 suspected cloned gift or credit cards, and a magnetic card reader/writer to create cloned EBT inside a home in the 3500 block of McCallum Club The spokesperson said they are working to identify additional suspects who have pending charges. EBT recipients are encouraged to keep their benefits safe by keeping all card numbers and PINs private, using the ConnectEBT app, and reporting any suspicious transactions to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
ABC News
22-05-2025
- ABC News
Two Romanian men charged over NSW card skimming scam that netted more than $800K
Two men have been charged after the Australian Federal Police busted a card skimming scheme that saw the pair allegedly net almost a $1 million from victims. Police will allege the two Romanian men, aged 41 and 48, tampered with a slew of ATMs and managed to steal more than $800,000. Multiple banks reported fraudulent activity to the AFP in April after ATMs in Chatswood, Darlinghurst and Burwood had thin metal devices inserted into the card slots by two men. Police will also allege the men expanded their scheme to the Illawarra, where ATMs in Warilla, Shellharbour, Fairy Meadow, Warrawong and Berkeley were also interfered with. Skimmers are used to capture the financial data on bank cards by stealing the information stored on their magnetic strips. Police allege the pair cloned bank cards with the data and were able to steal more than $800,000. Vision captured by cameras on ATMs also allegedly captured them attempting to cover up the cameras while the devices were implanted. Images provided to the ABC showed one of the men on camera using one of the tampered machines. Another showed both men installing one of the skimmers on an ATM machine. The men were arrested during raids in Chatswood and Homebush on Thursday where they seized fake business cards, cash, card skimmers and fake passports, which police allege the men used to pose as bank employees. "A message to potential criminals — your actions can always be traced, and the AFP will not hesitate to apprehend and prosecute you." The two men will front Hornsby Local Court on Friday charged with dealing with more than $100,000 in proceeds of crime. They face a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in jail if convicted. The older man was also charged with possessing a fake passport and submitting false information to a reporting entity.
