Posted on 05/10/2005 9:59:19 PM PDT by Stonedog
ATM scam netted man at least $400,000 Associated Press
BOSTON — A man with ties to the Russian mob used secretly installed bank card readers and spy cameras to record passwords and steal at least $400,000 from ATM users over the past two years, authorities said.
Ioan Emil Codarcea, 35, was being held on $2 million cash bail after he pleaded innocent today to charges including identity fraud, forgery and larceny. Authorities said he also is wanted in Canada in a similar scheme.
Codarcea, a Romanian national, was accused of installing phony magnetic card readers on doors leading to the ATM machines, or on the actual machines, in several communities in Massachusetts and in Manchester, N.H.
The readers recorded the card information while tiny cameras focused on the ATM keypad, capturing customer passwords and transmitting the images to a laptop computer, police said.
Codarcea allegedly used the bank card information to make duplicate magnetic strips, which he and several accomplices used to withdraw money from more than 400 customers' accounts starting in March 2003.
The scam, known as skimming, has been reported in recent years elsewhere round the country.
"Too many people are getting the hang of this stuff," Detective Steven Blair said. "You can buy the equipment for under $1,000, and it's all available on eBay."
Most of the victims didn't know money was being siphoned from their accounts until their bank notified them. Police would not release the names of the banks involved and said customers were reimbursed.
Codarcea was arrested May 1 by the U.S. Border Patrol while allegedly trying to smuggle illegal Pakistani immigrants into Vermont from Canada. He was turned over to Boston police on Monday.
Police wouldn't detail how they were led to Codarcea, but said they trailed him and took photos of him installing and retrieving the magnetic card readers loaded with account data.
Authorities said he did not work alone, and police have video of him teaching accomplices how to install the equipment, Blair said.
Dang....first Ted Kennedy kills off people with "auto accidents", then, just today we find out he committed tax fraud, and now he seems to be hitting ATM machines...
When will the madness end???
...And you know who his accomplices are? John Kerry and Barney Frank.
What's more worrisome?
The ATM scam or the fact he was smuggling Muslim immigrants in through Canada?
It is more important than ever to always check our credit (AND DEBIT) card balances.
Can't you just see those three idiots trying to jack an ATM?! Trying to pull it away from the pack-n-sack with Teddy's old Buick.....
Frank: Guys.....what happens if we get caught?
Kerry: Don't worry man...I ordered these medals. We just pin them on and say we were in Iraq. Throw them over a fence...and run for President.
Kennedy: Hey guys.....before I put this thing in gear, let me get my snorkel.
Kerry: Alright fat boy, I got the chain around the machine.....put it in drive.
Frank: D@mmit you drunk fool, you ran over my foot
Kennedy: Oh Rosie.....Oh Rosie....Hey guys...before we leave...do you think we can heist the beer cooler too.
Romanians seem to be big on this scam. In Norway and England they have found alot of skimmers on bank machines. They are 3 romanians sitting in jail in NOrway apprehended with skimmer machines in their hotel room full of card nos. I suggest anyone that uses a mini bank to look for signs of fraud. Barclays bank, from the UK has a what to look for page where you can identify a skimmer. If you know what you are looking for, or the signs a skimmer is installed, it is easy to see.
Sshhhh,
remember, we should not speak badly about that...uh....
"religion of peace"
Yeah, that's right. Say it's a religion of peace ... or else.
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