Skimming Scam Exposed: 8 Individuals Charged, $3.5 Million in Losses
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In a major crackdown on credit card skimming, eight individuals have been charged with aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, and other charges for their roles in stealing financial information from gas station customers in Louisville.
According to the indictment, the skimming devices were installed at gas pumps located on Highway 42 in Prospect, Taylorsville Road, Bardstown Road, Saint Andrews Church Road, Galeen Drive, Shelbyville Road, and LaGrange Road. The devices were designed to capture credit and debit card numbers, which were then re-encoded, transferred, or cloned onto other plastic cards.
The investigation, which involved nearly 30 law enforcement agencies across three states, revealed that up to 50 active skimmers were in use during the investigation. The financial loss exceeds $3.5 million, with over 7,000 unique card numbers belonging to individuals and businesses compromised.
Misael Jose Fernandez Campos, one of the defendants, pleaded guilty to all 16 counts in October 2017. According to the plea agreement, Campos manufactured the skimming devices between February 2015 and March 2016.
The defendants have been charged with possession of device making equipment, conspiracy to commit mail and bank fraud, money laundering, wire and bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 24 months consecutive with the sentence for any other fraud offenses.
The United States Attorney’s Office has provided banks and financial institutions with information where card numbers were compromised. The case is a result of the extraordinary work of investigators and close cooperation with law enforcement partners.
Key Facts
- State: Kentucky
- Category: Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
CybercrimeCybercrimeCybercrimeCybercrime