The New Jersey Police recently issued a warning following their arrest of a man from Los Angeles who was caught defrauding others with the use of a scanning device.
The Middlesex Police Department has charged Alexander Crisan, a 34-year-old from Los Angeles, California, with fraud for the installation of a skimming device. He was apprehended by officers last week and is set to appear in the Middlesex Superior Court on July 11 to face his charges.
Related posts
This year, ATM skimming devices were discovered in numerous businesses across the state, including the store in Middlesex Borough.
Authorities have discovered skimming devices on ATMs located at stores and banks in various areas, including Cinnaminson, Galloway, Pennsauken, Nutley, Bayonne, Roselle, and Union. According to NBCDFW, the devices were installed at Aldi stores in Roselle and Union during the winter.
On March 22, a customer reportedly discovered a device that was suspected to be an ATM skimming device. This incident was reported by New Jersey 101.5 radio station. Earlier this year, there were two arrests made in Westfield, NJ, related to ATM skimming cases. The two men were accused of installing skimming devices on ATMs throughout the town.
Two individuals hailing from Anaheim, California, and Brooklyn, New York, respectively, are said to be under suspicion of swindling $165,500 in the New Jersey region and $142,360 in Chicago, as per Westfield police reports. Nevertheless, New Jersey is not the only state contending with elaborate skimming plots.
Recently, the United States Department of Justice reported that two Romanian men in Pensacola, Florida were sentenced to 18 months in prison for their involvement in stealing bank card numbers back in 2023.
Ion Halmac, 35, and Marian Vasilache, 45, have been sentenced for their involvement in a conspiracy to steal bank card numbers, possession of bank card skimming equipment, and possession of bank card numbers. The United States Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Florida announced the news through a press release. The duo received their sentences after pleading guilty to the aforementioned charges.
WKRG received a statement from Jason R. Coody, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, regarding successful joint operations between federal and local agencies. The statement highlights the apprehension of individuals who were attempting to profit from fraudulent and theft-related activities. These cases are a testament to the effectiveness of collaborative investigations.
“Our top priority is safeguarding the financial information of our citizens. Together with our law enforcement allies, we will ensure that wrongdoers are held responsible, regardless of their country of origin.”
Upon being pulled over for speeding in Florida, the police conducted a search of their vehicle and uncovered a significant amount of incriminating evidence. Troopers found card skimming equipment, blank cards, and a laptop containing over 3,000 bank card numbers.
For more than ten years, skimmer devices have been in use. These devices operate by scanning the magnetic stripe on the back of a credit card and frequently come equipped with a minuscule pinhole camera that captures the user’s pin number.
On June 14, in Tarrant County, Texas, three men were apprehended on charges related to organized crime and unlawful use of electronic communications. Mihai Florin Marienscu, 37, Nelu Nae, 36, and Mihai Vlaicu, 47, were involved in a series of alleged criminal activities. The case was quite distressing.
According to Roberts, “The suspects wasted no time in traveling to Texas, but fortunately, their criminal activities didn’t go unnoticed for long. Within a week of their arrival, law enforcement made an arrest.” The three individuals stand accused of installing skimming devices throughout Tarrant and Dallas County, and are believed to be involved in similar skimming cases in several states.
The Dollar General on East Market Street in Delaware has been in the news recently. The Georgetown police department announced that they discovered a credit card skimming device at the store.
Lt. Joel Diaz from the Georgetown Police Department revealed that it is effortless to install these fraudulent devices. Two people can do it quickly; one person distracts the primary associate, and the other person places the device over the original credit card machine. The counterfeit machine accurately mimics the appearance of the legitimate one, making it challenging to detect unless one is vigilant.
After a skimming device was found at a Dollar General in Felton last Thursday, another one was discovered, leading to questions about whether this is an isolated incident or if Dollar Generals are specifically being targeted. Lt. Diaz expressed concern and stated that law enforcement is collaborating to determine the cause and any possible patterns.
