LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga.–Credit union members and other plastic card-holders across the country continue to be hit by widespread skimming attacks.
In Lawrenceville, Ga., police here say they are looking for as many as 10 people who may have stolen more than $60,000 from people whose credit card information was stolen in 2018.
The suspected fraud ring started around Sept. 30, when two people internally installed a card skimmer device in an ATM at the Peach State FCU, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. From Sept. 30 until Oct. 14, the suspects stole the credit card information of about 100 people.
Police said the theft was then followed by several different people using the fraudulent information to withdraw funds from ATMs across metro Atlanta, totaling about $60,000, the Journal-Constitution said.
Peach State FCU has refunded the members who lost money, with police noting that the thieves were not able to get into the accounts of every victim.
“Some of the transactions were declined when they were attempted,” a police spokesperson told the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
According to police, PSFCU has been gathering information on the fraudulent activity since it was discovered, with investigators now looking to identify about 10 persons of interest, Dyals said. Pictures of the suspects have been posted by Lawrenceville Police Department’s Facebook page, with some showing clear images of faces.
600 Affected in Michigan
In Jackson, Mich., approximately 600 people who used an American 1 Credit Union ATM here this month have had their account information compromised after a card skimmer was found hidden inside the machine, according to the credit union.
American 1 has issued a warning to all of its members, stating it believes the device had collected card information over a period of several days.
Image Captured in Washington
Meanwhile, in Kennewick, Wash, thieves withdrew approximately $30,000 from 44 accounts using ATMs, according to police. Police said they have video of one of the suspected thieves that was captured on an ATM of HAPO Credit Union. The image shows a man in a green coat with a fur collar and a knit cap.
Police said some of the credit and debit card numbers were obtained by a skimmer inside Joe’s Chevron in Richland, Wash.