Card Skimming Operation Uncovered In Bay Area

FREMONT, CA — Four men have been arrested in connection with a skimming operation in the Bay Area, and Fremont Police report that they may be tied to an international criminal ring.

The investigation began on Jan. 14 when a Fremont Patrol Officer saw Iurii Osetskyi make several transactions at a Wells Fargo ATM located on Mowry Avenue. The officer arrested Osetskyi after discovering that he had approximately $3,800 in twenty dollar bills and over 25 various gift cards in his possession but no ATM card. Each card was wrapped in an amount of money with the corresponding ATM transaction receipt.

Police say that later that night, Denys Osetskyi contacted the department to report that his brother was missing. Dispatchers told Denys they would send an officer to take a missing person report. Officers went to a local motel and detained Denys pending a search warrant for the motel room and the brothers’ vehicle. That search resulted in multiple recovered cards, cash and electronics that led to the identification of an additional three suspects who are still outstanding.

Evidence discovered on the first day of the investigation indicates that Iurii, Denys and the additional suspects all traveled from Los Angeles County to the Bay Area to use the cloned cards in the same region where they were originally skimmed.

The gift cards were later discovered to have recorded on them the debit card number and PIN of multiple victims from around the Bay Area but predominantly from the town of Crockett in Contra Costa County. It is suspected the victims’ cards were compromised when used as payment at a gas pump.

On Feb. 27, Fremont Police detectives noticed two suspicious vehicles, one Land Rover with no license plates and a Toyota Tundra registered out of Los Angeles County. Detectives stopped the Land Rover which was driven by Vasiliy Polyak of Montebello. He is a relative of one of the additional suspects from the Osetskyi case.

A search warrant was obtained for the Land Rover resulting in the recovery of blue tooth enabled gas pump skimming devices, cloned debit cards and components to build additional skimming devices.

Detectives later observed Polyak being picked up at a shopping center near the police department by a man in a Mercedes. Suspecting the driver of the Mercedes to be involved in skimming activities, detectives stopped and detained both the driver and Polyak.

The driver, Artak Harutyunyan, was on felony searchable probation out of Los Angeles County for skimming and ID theft related crimes. Detectives searched the vehicle and discovered that he was staying at a nearby motel. A search of that motel room led to the recovery of additional skimming devices, cash and over 125 cloned debit cards. Harutyunyan was arrested and booked at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin.

Fremont Police say the suspects in both cases have possible ties to an international criminal organization with roots in the greater Los Angeles County area.

Arrests:

• Iurii Osetskyi - 29 y/o, Studio City (LA County) Charges: Conspiracy, Identity theft more than 10 victims, computer intrusion
• Denys Osetski - 37 y/o Valley Village (LA County) Charges: Conspiracy, identity theft more than 10 victims, computer intrusion
• Vasiliy Polyak - 27 y/o Monetbello (LA County) Charges: conspiracy, identity theft, computer intrusion, possession of skimming devices
• Artak Harutyunyan – 49 y/o North Hollywood (LA County) Charges: Conspiracy, identity theft, computer intrusion, possession of skimming devices

Gas station managers and employees at Bay Area gas stations are encouraged to check their pumps for skimming devices. These suspects are known to have been in Alameda County, Santa Clara County, San Mateo County, Contra Costa County and San Francisco. If a device is located, contact your local law enforcement agency.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Detective Adam Foster at 510-790-6900 or via email at Afoster@fremont.gov.

— Images via Fremont Police