Before you use a credit or debit card, give the card reader a good look. Dearborn police helped catch criminals involved in an alleged ATM skimming scheme targeting countless victims in our area.
Two people were arrested in Dearborn, but they may have been a part of a bigger ring.
“Pull on the machine, if anything looks abnormal or out of place – don’t use the ATM,” said Dearborn Police Capt. Issa Shahin.
That’s the advice Shahin has for anyone using a debit or credit card. Last month, police arrested the two people using the card and PIN numbers of victims.
“They enter the pin," Shahin said. "They are then able to capture the account information and the pin. They then take that information off the skimming device.”
Police say the suspects then take the information and put it on other cards.
“They will then fabricate fraudulent cards," Shahin said. "They could use anything that has a bar code. It can be a gift card or hotel key card.”
We’re told the two were arrested as they were in the process of stealing cash from a credit union on Chase Road. Police found 300 cards encoded with stolen debit or credit card information and $40,000 in cash.
Capt. Shahin described the two as foreign nationals who are linked to a bigger skimming ring.
“(They'res) suspected of doing this across the region.” Shahin said.
There are ways to protect yourself. Police suggest setting up transaction alerts with your bank or credit card so you will be notified of fraudulent activity right away. Also, check your bank account often.
If you suspect the card device was tampered with, tell someone right away.
“Some of these devices look just like the machine,” Shahin said.
The two people arrested have been turned over to the FBI and are now facing multiple felony charges.
