{"id":16705,"date":"2015-10-22T10:37:46","date_gmt":"2015-10-22T17:37:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=16705"},"modified":"2015-10-22T10:37:46","modified_gmt":"2015-10-22T17:37:46","slug":"eight-indicted-for-using-skimmers-at-gas-pumps-to-collect-credit-card-information","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=16705","title":{"rendered":"Eight Indicted for Using Skimmers at Gas Pumps to Collect Credit Card Information"},"content":{"rendered":"

LOS ANGELES<\/h2>\n
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\"Credit<\/a>Authorities on Wednesday arrested four defendants charged with federal fraud and identity theft charges for allegedly participating in a scheme that installed credit card \u201cskimmers\u201d<\/strong> inside gas pumps at gas stations across Southern California and Southern Nevada, officials announced.<\/span><\/p>\n

A criminal complaint charges eight defendants \u2013 three of whom are fugitives at this time \u2013 with participating in a conspiracy that secretly installed electronic devices known as skimmers inside of gas pumps that were equipped with point of sale terminals, officials allege<\/span><\/p>\n

When gas station customers swiped their credit or debit cards through the device that reads the magnetic strips on the back of their cards, the information was stored on the skimmers that were hidden inside the gas pumps, according to authorities.<\/span><\/p>\n

The defendants are facing up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the charges, authorities said.<\/span><\/p>\n

The affidavit supporting the criminal complaint, authorities allege the following:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0Members of the conspiracy were able to later retrieve the account information without going back inside the gas pumps by using Bluetooth-equipped devices<\/strong>, such as cellular phones or tablets.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the gas stations, they allegedly used large vans to conceal their activities as they forced open panels on the gas pumps and installed the skimming devices that were not visible to customers who used their credit cards at the pumps, officials allege.<\/span><\/p>\n

The affidavit outlines how the organization installed dozens of skimmers at gas stations operated by different companies in areas that include San Gabriel, Burbank, North Hollywood, Van Nuys, Eagle Rock, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Torrance, Long Beach, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Tustin, Fountain Valley, the Coachella Valley<\/strong> and Las Vegas, Nevada<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIdentity theft causes significant harm to individuals as well as imposing costs on society overall,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker.<\/strong> \u201cMembers of the public are entitled to use their credit and debit cards at gas stations without fear that their identities could be stolen. The collective consequence of such criminal activity is that thousands of people have had their personal information compromised and now they must undertake substantial efforts to protect their identities.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In\u00a0conjunction with Wednesday’ arrests, investigators executed a series of search warrants. <\/span><\/p>\n

At one location, they found materials indicating that members of the conspiracy were actively involved in the manufacture of counterfeit credit cards.<\/span><\/p>\n

The eight defendants named in the criminal complaint are:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n