Sydney police arrested a Romanian duo after skimming $3.7 million from victims

It’s hard (and sometimes stressful) it is to keep your cash safe and secure, especially in this day and age of constantly advancing technology.

But it bears repeating that when it comes to our hard-earned savings, we have to be extra vigilant and cautious.

This comes after reports that two men have been recently arrested in Sydney for allegedly taking part in an alarmingly lucrative card skimming network.


Police searched a home in Wolli Creek earlier this week and found stolen bank details from more than 1,000 people, over 1,500 blank cards, and card skimming devices.

In a second address in the same region, the police seized cash worth $50,000, electronic devices, and designer products.


photo (7).jpg
Romanian duo arrested for an alleged ATM scam. Image source: fanjianhua on Freepik.


The police believed they would be uncovering more compromised bank details upon searching the devices they’d found.

They also shared that unsuspecting customers' card details and PIN numbers were reportedly stolen from ATMs scattered across the country using the skimming devices.


The devices were allegedly placed in ATMs all over Australia, but mostly in Sydney’s CBD. It is believed that the scheme is part of a transnational card skimming network based in Romania.

Based on the number and capacity of the blank cards found at the scene, the police estimated that the whole scheme was worth more than $3.7 million in total.

According to Detective Superintendent Gordon Arbinja, who is also the Financial Crimes’ Squad Commander, the two suspects had entered the country with false passports.

'We allege that this group came here for the specific purpose of targeting ordinary and innocent Australians,' he said.

The police also later retrieved a phone off the balcony, which one of the men allegedly threw out during the search.

'One of the offenders is alleged to have thrown his phone off a 10-storey apartment from the balcony onto the Princes Highway,' Detective Superintendent Arbinja said.

'This group has got their fingerprints all over the area, they've had it in the United States and in Europe and all over Asia as well.'


He also informed those whose information had been compromised could expect to hear from their bank.

Moreover, the police were also reportedly pursuing another individual who may be part of the operation.

'We [now] have at least one member that is still within Australia, and further descriptions of that individual will be made at a later time for the public to assist us in locating that offender,' he said.

Meanwhile, the 40-year-old and 43-year-old charged with offences—which include possessing equipment to make false documents and participating in group criminal activity—have been refused bail and are due to appear in Sutherland Local Court.


This comes after news reports that five foreign nationals were apprehended in a joint effort by Australian and US authorities for an alleged high-tech bank fraud involving ATM skimmers and fake bank cards.

In an investigation by the United States Secret Service (USSS), these five individuals were allegedly part of the same international crime ring that allegedly scammed US citizens receiving welfare benefits via electronic benefits transfer cards earlier this year.

According to authorities, the alleged offenders installed ATM skimmers to clone victims' electronic benefits transfer card details and PINs. At the start of each month, the crime syndicate re-encoded the cloned bank cards to visit ATMs and withdraw the newly loaded funds.

You can read more about this scam here.
Key Takeaways
  • Two men, who have been arrested and charged in Sydney, were believed to be part of a massive credit card skimming scheme connected to a Romanian network worth over $3.7 million.
  • The police allegedly discovered over 1,000 sets of stolen bank details and PINs, as well as card skimming devices, and seized $50,000 in cash from a Wolli Creek home.
  • The card skimming devices were reportedly fitted onto ATMs across Australia, predominantly in Sydney's CBD. More compromised bank details are expected to be found on seized electronic devices.
  • The arrested men were charged with multiple offences, including involvement in group criminal activity and possessing equipment to make false documents; they were refused bail and are set to appear at Sutherland Local Court.
Members, what are your thoughts on this story? Do you have some tips on how to avoid being scammed? Let us know in the comments below!
 
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It’s hard (and sometimes stressful) it is to keep your cash safe and secure, especially in this day and age of constantly advancing technology.

But it bears repeating that when it comes to our hard-earned savings, we have to be extra vigilant and cautious.

This comes after reports that two men have been recently arrested in Sydney for allegedly taking part in an alarmingly lucrative card skimming network.


Police searched a home in Wolli Creek earlier this week and found stolen bank details from more than 1,000 people, over 1,500 blank cards, and card skimming devices.

In a second address in the same region, the police seized cash worth $50,000, electronic devices, and designer products.


View attachment 31112
Romanian duo arrested for an alleged ATM scam. Image source: fanjianhua on Freepik.


The police believed they would be uncovering more compromised bank details upon searching the devices they’d found.

They also shared that unsuspecting customers' card details and PIN numbers were reportedly stolen from ATMs scattered across the country using the skimming devices.


The devices were allegedly placed in ATMs all over Australia, but mostly in Sydney’s CBD. It is believed that the scheme is part of a transnational card skimming network based in Romania.

Based on the number and capacity of the blank cards found at the scene, the police estimated that the whole scheme was worth more than $3.7 million in total.

According to Detective Superintendent Gordon Arbinja, who is also the Financial Crimes’ Squad Commander, the two suspects had entered the country with false passports.

'We allege that this group came here for the specific purpose of targeting ordinary and innocent Australians,' he said.

The police also later retrieved a phone off the balcony, which one of the men allegedly threw out during the search.

'One of the offenders is alleged to have thrown his phone off a 10-storey apartment from the balcony onto the Princes Highway,' Detective Superintendent Arbinja said.

'This group has got their fingerprints all over the area, they've had it in the United States and in Europe and all over Asia as well.'


He also informed those whose information had been compromised could expect to hear from their bank.

Moreover, the police were also reportedly pursuing another individual who may be part of the operation.

'We [now] have at least one member that is still within Australia, and further descriptions of that individual will be made at a later time for the public to assist us in locating that offender,' he said.

Meanwhile, the 40-year-old and 43-year-old charged with offences—which include possessing equipment to make false documents and participating in group criminal activity—have been refused bail and are due to appear in Sutherland Local Court.


This comes after news reports that five foreign nationals were apprehended in a joint effort by Australian and US authorities for an alleged high-tech bank fraud involving ATM skimmers and fake bank cards.

In an investigation by the United States Secret Service (USSS), these five individuals were allegedly part of the same international crime ring that allegedly scammed US citizens receiving welfare benefits via electronic benefits transfer cards earlier this year.

According to authorities, the alleged offenders installed ATM skimmers to clone victims' electronic benefits transfer card details and PINs. At the start of each month, the crime syndicate re-encoded the cloned bank cards to visit ATMs and withdraw the newly loaded funds.

You can read more about this scam here.
Key Takeaways

  • Two men, who have been arrested and charged in Sydney, were believed to be part of a massive credit card skimming scheme connected to a Romanian network worth over $3.7 million.
  • The police allegedly discovered over 1,000 sets of stolen bank details and PINs, as well as card skimming devices, and seized $50,000 in cash from a Wolli Creek home.
  • The card skimming devices were reportedly fitted onto ATMs across Australia, predominantly in Sydney's CBD. More compromised bank details are expected to be found on seized electronic devices.
  • The arrested men were charged with multiple offences, including involvement in group criminal activity and possessing equipment to make false documents; they were refused bail and are set to appear at Sutherland Local Court.
Members, what are your thoughts on this story? Do you have some tips on how to avoid being scammed? Let us know in the comments below!
i blame the banks for closng sooo many branches and forsing us to use atms bring back our branches and do away with atms
 
It’s hard (and sometimes stressful) it is to keep your cash safe and secure, especially in this day and age of constantly advancing technology.

But it bears repeating that when it comes to our hard-earned savings, we have to be extra vigilant and cautious.

This comes after reports that two men have been recently arrested in Sydney for allegedly taking part in an alarmingly lucrative card skimming network.


Police searched a home in Wolli Creek earlier this week and found stolen bank details from more than 1,000 people, over 1,500 blank cards, and card skimming devices.

In a second address in the same region, the police seized cash worth $50,000, electronic devices, and designer products.


View attachment 31112
Romanian duo arrested for an alleged ATM scam. Image source: fanjianhua on Freepik.


The police believed they would be uncovering more compromised bank details upon searching the devices they’d found.

They also shared that unsuspecting customers' card details and PIN numbers were reportedly stolen from ATMs scattered across the country using the skimming devices.


The devices were allegedly placed in ATMs all over Australia, but mostly in Sydney’s CBD. It is believed that the scheme is part of a transnational card skimming network based in Romania.

Based on the number and capacity of the blank cards found at the scene, the police estimated that the whole scheme was worth more than $3.7 million in total.

According to Detective Superintendent Gordon Arbinja, who is also the Financial Crimes’ Squad Commander, the two suspects had entered the country with false passports.

'We allege that this group came here for the specific purpose of targeting ordinary and innocent Australians,' he said.

The police also later retrieved a phone off the balcony, which one of the men allegedly threw out during the search.

'One of the offenders is alleged to have thrown his phone off a 10-storey apartment from the balcony onto the Princes Highway,' Detective Superintendent Arbinja said.

'This group has got their fingerprints all over the area, they've had it in the United States and in Europe and all over Asia as well.'


He also informed those whose information had been compromised could expect to hear from their bank.

Moreover, the police were also reportedly pursuing another individual who may be part of the operation.

'We [now] have at least one member that is still within Australia, and further descriptions of that individual will be made at a later time for the public to assist us in locating that offender,' he said.

Meanwhile, the 40-year-old and 43-year-old charged with offences—which include possessing equipment to make false documents and participating in group criminal activity—have been refused bail and are due to appear in Sutherland Local Court.


This comes after news reports that five foreign nationals were apprehended in a joint effort by Australian and US authorities for an alleged high-tech bank fraud involving ATM skimmers and fake bank cards.

In an investigation by the United States Secret Service (USSS), these five individuals were allegedly part of the same international crime ring that allegedly scammed US citizens receiving welfare benefits via electronic benefits transfer cards earlier this year.

According to authorities, the alleged offenders installed ATM skimmers to clone victims' electronic benefits transfer card details and PINs. At the start of each month, the crime syndicate re-encoded the cloned bank cards to visit ATMs and withdraw the newly loaded funds.

You can read more about this scam here.
Key Takeaways

  • Two men, who have been arrested and charged in Sydney, were believed to be part of a massive credit card skimming scheme connected to a Romanian network worth over $3.7 million.
  • The police allegedly discovered over 1,000 sets of stolen bank details and PINs, as well as card skimming devices, and seized $50,000 in cash from a Wolli Creek home.
  • The card skimming devices were reportedly fitted onto ATMs across Australia, predominantly in Sydney's CBD. More compromised bank details are expected to be found on seized electronic devices.
  • The arrested men were charged with multiple offences, including involvement in group criminal activity and possessing equipment to make false documents; they were refused bail and are set to appear at Sutherland Local Court.
Members, what are your thoughts on this story? Do you have some tips on how to avoid being scammed? Let us know in the comments below!
It’s tempting to withdraw everything from banks and keep in a safe at home but with everyone going cashless that’s not an option now. A no win situation. Glad they caught the low life. Hope they get locked up for life no parole
 
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I carry an RFID card in my wallet and have it close to the machine I am using, don't really know if it works but haven't had a problems yet.
 
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A few years ago I had someone skim my card. I do not use an ATM so it has to have been while I was carrying my card on my person. Fortunately my bank contacted me and asked me some questions if I had used it in the UK, which I had not so It was stopped immediately. My bank was the Bendigo Bank so it was thanks to them for being so on the ball.
 
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