Two Romanian men charged over NSW card skimming scam that netted more than $800K
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Two men have been charged after the Australian Federal Police busted a card skimming scheme that saw the pair allegedly net almost a $1 million from victims.
Police will allege the two Romanian men, aged 41 and 48, tampered with a slew of ATMs and managed to steal more than $800,000.
Multiple banks reported fraudulent activity to the AFP in April after ATMs in Chatswood, Darlinghurst and Burwood had thin metal devices inserted into the card slots by two men.
Police will also allege the men expanded their scheme to the Illawarra, where ATMs in Warilla, Shellharbour, Fairy Meadow, Warrawong and Berkeley were also interfered with.
Skimmers are used to capture the financial data on bank cards by stealing the information stored on their magnetic strips.
Police allege the pair cloned bank cards with the data and were able to steal more than $800,000.
Vision captured by cameras on ATMs also allegedly captured them attempting to cover up the cameras while the devices were implanted.
Images provided to the ABC showed one of the men on camera using one of the tampered machines.
Another showed both men installing one of the skimmers on an ATM machine.
The men were arrested during raids in Chatswood and Homebush on Thursday where they seized fake business cards, cash, card skimmers and fake passports, which police allege the men used to pose as bank employees.
"These brazen schemes hurt hardworking Australians who are already feeling the financial pinch," AFP Superintendent Marie Andersson said.
"A message to potential criminals — your actions can always be traced, and the AFP will not hesitate to apprehend and prosecute you."
The two men will front Hornsby Local Court on Friday charged with dealing with more than $100,000 in proceeds of crime.
They face a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in jail if convicted.
The older man was also charged with possessing a fake passport and submitting false information to a reporting entity.
By Anton Rose
Police will allege the two Romanian men, aged 41 and 48, tampered with a slew of ATMs and managed to steal more than $800,000.
Multiple banks reported fraudulent activity to the AFP in April after ATMs in Chatswood, Darlinghurst and Burwood had thin metal devices inserted into the card slots by two men.
Police will also allege the men expanded their scheme to the Illawarra, where ATMs in Warilla, Shellharbour, Fairy Meadow, Warrawong and Berkeley were also interfered with.
A 41-year-old man was one of two people arrested in AFP raids in Chatswood and Homebush on Thursday. (Supplied: AFP)
Skimmers are used to capture the financial data on bank cards by stealing the information stored on their magnetic strips.
Police allege the pair cloned bank cards with the data and were able to steal more than $800,000.
Vision captured by cameras on ATMs also allegedly captured them attempting to cover up the cameras while the devices were implanted.
Images provided to the ABC showed one of the men on camera using one of the tampered machines.
Another showed both men installing one of the skimmers on an ATM machine.
A number of Sydney ATMs had thin metal devices inserted into the card slots. (Supplied: AFP)
The men were arrested during raids in Chatswood and Homebush on Thursday where they seized fake business cards, cash, card skimmers and fake passports, which police allege the men used to pose as bank employees.
"These brazen schemes hurt hardworking Australians who are already feeling the financial pinch," AFP Superintendent Marie Andersson said.
"A message to potential criminals — your actions can always be traced, and the AFP will not hesitate to apprehend and prosecute you."
They face a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in jail if convicted.
The older man was also charged with possessing a fake passport and submitting false information to a reporting entity.
By Anton Rose
