FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE
February 23, 2017
For More Information, contact:
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Steven T. Marshall
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
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Alabama Attorney General
TWO INDIVIDUALS CHARGED FOR A GAS STATION DEBIT CARD
SKIMMING OPERATION THAT INVOLVED MULTIPLE STATES
(MONTGOMERY)–Two individuals are facing federal charges for using
skimming devices on gas pumps, announced George Beck Jr., U.S. Attorney for the
Middle District of Alabama, and Steven T. Marshall, Attorney General for the State of
Alabama. These charges are the result of a continuing multi-agency investigation that
was initiated by the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, the Ozark Police Department,
the United States Secret Service and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office. On February
15, 2017, Eunises-Llorca Menses (30), of Naples, Florida, and Reiner Perez-Rives (34), of
Houston, Texas, were charged by a federal grand jury with conspiracy to commit wire
fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, Llorca-Menses and Perez-Rives were involved in
a multi-state scheme to defraud individuals and steal bank and credit union account
information from unsuspecting individuals by installing a skimming device at gas
stations. A skimming device can be installed on a gas pump and record a customer’s
credit/debit card number and pin number without the customer’s knowledge or
consent.
As part of their scheme, they would rent vehicles and travel between Florida,
Alabama, Tennessee and Virginia. During their travels, they would visit several gas
stations and install a skimming device inside a gas pump. Through the skimming
device, they collected gas station customers’ credit/debit card information and used
that information to activate or reactivate credit, debit, or gift cards, and make
unauthorized cash withdrawals and purchases at several places around the southeast.
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501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.state.al.us Page 2 of 3
Law enforcement was able to uncover this scheme following multiple reports
from victims concerning the unauthorized use of their debit cards. Working with
financial institutions, the Ozark Police Department, along with state and federal
partners, discovered that many of the victims had used their cards at the same gas
station in Ozark, Alabama. At this station they found a skimming device installed on a
gas pump that had Bluetooth capability. The Bluetooth technology allowed the
defendants to collect a gas customer’s credit/debit information while sitting up to
thirty-feet away from the gas pump.
Upon arrest, the two were found to be in possession of a total of thirty-nine
credit/debit cards that had been re-encoded with stolen credit/debit card numbers,
along with an additional 315 various types of gift cards. Law enforcement also found a
homemade device with connectors that matched the connections on the skimming
device found in the gas pump in Ozark, Alabama.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendants
are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted,
each faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and payment of restitution to their
victims.
“Criminals are constantly coming up with sophisticated ways to deprive us of
our hard earned money,” stated U.S. Attorney Beck. “They always try to stay one step
ahead of law enforcement. Banks, gas stations, retail businesses, and customers, need to
be ever watchful for this type of criminal activity and report it to the authorities
immediately. I would like to thank all the agencies involved for acting quickly to
recognize this scheme and identify those responsible.”
“I want to thank U.S. Attorney Beck for taking swift action to bring federal
charges against suspects identified in late December by state and local authorities in a
wide-ranging crime spree of identity thefts committed through debit card skimming at
gasoline pumps,” said Attorney General Steven T. Marshall. “I am extremely proud of
the outstanding investigation by Special Agents in the Attorney General’s Office, along
with the Ozark Police Department and Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, to uncover
these illegal activities and arrest the defendants on state charges which are pending.
This kind of support and cooperative teamwork among law enforcement agencies from
the local to the federal level is vital for us to be effective in shutting down criminal
operations.”
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“I am proud that our department was able to play a role in this investigation,”
stated Ozark Police Chief Marlos Walker. “I am always excited and pleased with the
support we have from our state and federal partners. Cooperation among law
enforcement is essential in stopping these types of operations.”
“The U.S. Secret Service has seen a rise in cases involving gas pump skimmers
nationwide,” stated Resident Agent in Charge Clayton Slay, U.S. Secret Service in
Montgomery, Alabama. “This is partly due to the incremental conversion of all credit
card point of sale processers from the use of the magnetic strip to the new EMV ‘Chip’
technology. As retail businesses make the transition to EMV, criminals are targeting
those business that have not made the change. This includes credit card readers on gas
pumps. The Secret Service, along with local and state law enforcement authorities,
continue to be proactive in these type of crimes through information sharing with
financial institutions, credit card issuing companies, and education of members of the
petroleum distribution industry.”
“Criminals can breach the gas pump and install a skimming device which can be
there for weeks or months before crooks return to download the credit card and PIN
numbers, if used,” continued RAC Slay. “Some skimming devices, like the ones used in
this case, are Bluetooth enabled so the crooks don’t even have to breech the pump again
to download the information from the skimmer. The skimming devices are usually not
detectable from the outside of the pump and are typically only detected when the pump
is opened or serviced for any reason.”
Slay advises that the public should monitor their bank and credit card accounts
frequently and report any unusual activity to those financial institutions. Another way
to possibly prevent this type of fraud is to pay inside the store or use pumps that are
visible to store employees and any video surveillance cameras, as criminals normally
target pumps that allow them to install skimming devices undetected.
This case was a joint investigation involving the Ozark Police Department, the
Alabama Attorney General’s office, the United States Secret Service, and the Baldwin
County Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s
Office for the Middle District of Alabama by Assistant United States Attorney Denise O.
Simpson.
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