High tech scammer strikes at Chase Bank

By Felix Holoszyc-Pimentel

A scammer with a skimmer targeted the Chase Bank at 3775 Riverdale Ave. recently, hoping to steal customers’ PIN numbers and drain their accounts. The skimmer was discovered by Chase headquarters personnel on  June 21 at 7:51 p.m.  

The culprit entered the bank, placed a skimmer on an ATM machine and returned about an hour later to remove the device.  

Monitors at Chase headquarters noticed that one of their ATMs had been tampered with and alerted the 50th Precinct, but several customers said they were unaware of the skimming threat even weeks after the incident. The thief had already left the location with his device when police arrived at the scene. 

“I was not informed of the scam by that bank, nor was there even a picture of the skimmer posted at the ATM machine,” said one patron of the bank who asked to remain anonymous.  

Deputy Inspector Paul Rasa of the 50th Precinct said the ATM machine was used 20 times while the device was active.  The offender was seen on security footage, but has not been apprehended by the police.  

No prior instance of ATM skimming has been reported in Riverdale.

ATM skimming is a relatively new form of credit and debit card theft, which has “become an epidemic” across the world in the last few years, according to lawyer Steven Weisman. He updates a blog concerning identity theft, www.scamicide.com, and is a professor at Bentley University.  

The scam involves placing an inconspicuous scanner on the ATM where one inserts his or her ATM or credit card. The scanner is able to read the card information, which can then be recovered later or wirelessly transmitted to a computer or cell phone.  

Sometimes, skimmers include cameras or sensors designed to learn PIN numbers associated with the cards. Skimmers can be made using 3-D printers and, according to Mr. Weisman, are readily available on the black market.