The Irving Police Department executed an arrest warrant and search warrant at a residence in Irving where multiple suspects were involved in several incidents related to the theft of diesel fuel, criminal instruments, and credit card abuse.
Investigators seized deep-insert skimmers, card reader writers, and computer components for making skimmers.
Two suspects were arrested, and the investigation is ongoing.
What is skimming?
Skimming occurs when devices illegally installed on ATMs, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, or fuel pumps capture data or record cardholder's PIN numbers. Criminals use the data to create fake debit or credit cards and steal from victims' accounts. It is estimated that skimming costs financial institutions and consumers more than $1 billion each year.
Irving Police offer the following tips to prevent becoming a victim to these thieves:
- Utilize contactless payments such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, etc...
- Inspect ATMs, POS terminals, and other card readers before using. Look for anything loose, crooked, damaged, or scratched. Don't use any card reader if you notice anything unusual.
- Pull all the edges of the keypad before entering your PIN. Then, cover the keypad when you enter your PIN to prevent cameras from recording your entry.
- Use ATMs in well-lit, indoor location with less vulnerable targets.
- Use debit and credit cards with chip technology. In the U.S., fewer devices steal chip data versus magnetic strip data.
- Avoid using your debit card when you have linked accounts. Use a credit card instead.
- Report any suspicious activity or person(s) to Irving Police.
