Credit Card Skimmers Ripped Off Gas Station Customers: Police

FALLS CHURCH, VA — The Fairfax County police announced Friday that they had arrested three Florida men on charges that they used skimming devices, hidden inside pumps at a Bailey's Crossroads gas station, to steal credit card numbers

Osvaldo Bello Villanueva, 40, Enrique F. Franco, 76, and Abrahan Noa, 47, all of Miami, were arrested last week in Arlington and taken to the Adult Detention Center in Fairfax City, the police said. Each faces multiple counts of credit card theft, and two have been charged with credit card forgery, according to a police statement.

The police said they began their investigation when they were contacted on March 8 by an unidentified local bank. It reported that credit/debit cards used by several of its customers had been compromised at an unidentified gas station in the 5600 block of Columbia Pike.

"Two skimming devices were located inside two of the gas pumps," the police said.

The following night, police detectives staked out the gas station, and at around 11 p.m., "they observed a car with multiple people inside pull into the station’s parking lot and sit there for several minutes," the police said.

The car eventually pulled away, and the detectives pursued it east into Arlington. With assistance from Arlington County police, they stopped the car in the area of South Walter Reed Drive and 14th Street.

The detectives determined that the driver and two occupants had used a wireless Bluetooth device to download credit and debit card information from a skimming device in one of the gas pumps, according to the police statement.

The three Florida men face these charges:

Bello Villanueva: One count of credit card forgery, two counts of credit card theft and three counts of possession of credit card forgery devices.

Franco: One count of criminal possession of credit card forgery devices and three counts of credit card theft.

Noa: Three counts each of criminal possession of credit card forgery devices and credit card forgery and five counts of credit card theft.

To protect yourself against this type of financial fraud:

How does a skimming device work? A skimming device is affixed to, or installed in, a machine with a card reader. When you slide your card through the reader for your transaction, the device collects financial information from the card, including PIN numbers.

Skimming devices in the 21st century are more technologically advanced. Older skimmers attach to, or cover, a machine’s card reader; an accessory device is usually hidden nearby. You may be able to see loose fixtures, tape or adhesives on a machine that would draw your attention to a problem.

Newer devices can be placed inside, or wired to, a card reader. Bluetooth wireless technology allows criminals to obtain your credit card data without being present at the location or having to return there to collect or download financial information.

How can I protect myself? Detectives with the Fairfax County Police Department's Financial Crimes section offer the following tips:

• Inspect the machine: You may not be able to see the actual device, but look for pry marks, scratches or signs of tampering.
• Use your credit card (versus a debit/ATM card) when possible: Your PIN can be recorded and it may be more difficult to have personal bank funds reimbursed.
• Protect your PIN: Use your hand to shield anyone nearby from observing your entry, and be aware of strangers standing close to you or who offer to help you with “broken” machines.
• Regularly check your bank and card statements for discrepant charges: If you notice anything fraudulent or questionable, contact your bank or credit card company immediately.
• Monitor and report even small charges: Stolen financial information is often used for small, ordinary purchases, like gas or groceries.
• Try to use ATMs or machines in areas covered by security cameras.

If you feel you’ve been a victim of financial crime in Fairfax County, you can report it online through the Financial Crimes Online Reporting (FiCOR) system - click here.

Image: FCPD

Images below: Abrahan Noa; Enrique Franco; Osvaldo Bello Villanueva (FCPD)