BANK tellers, restaurant workers and other service employees in New York lifted credit card data from residents and foreign tourists as part of an identity theft ring that stretched to China, Europe and the Middle East and victimised thousands, authorities say.
In total, 111 people were arrested and more than 85 are in custody.
Five separate criminal enterprises operating out of Queens were dismantled. They were hit with hundreds of charges, said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, calling it the largest fraud case he'd ever seen in his two decades in office.
"These weren't holdups at gunpoint, but the impact on victims was the same," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. "They were robbed."
The enterprise had been operating since at least 2010 and included at least one bank and restaurants, mostly in Queens.
Authorities say the graft operated like this: At least three bank workers, retail employees and restaurant workers would steal credit card numbers in a process known as skimming, in which workers take information from when a card is swiped for payment and illegally sell the credit card numbers. Different members of the criminal enterprise would steal card information online.
According to the police, this is the biggest identity theft fraud ring ever caught.
Full article + VIDEO: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/100-arrested-massive-nyc-theft-ring-14692962
In total, 111 people were arrested and more than 85 are in custody.
Five separate criminal enterprises operating out of Queens were dismantled. They were hit with hundreds of charges, said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, calling it the largest fraud case he'd ever seen in his two decades in office.
"These weren't holdups at gunpoint, but the impact on victims was the same," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. "They were robbed."
The enterprise had been operating since at least 2010 and included at least one bank and restaurants, mostly in Queens.
Authorities say the graft operated like this: At least three bank workers, retail employees and restaurant workers would steal credit card numbers in a process known as skimming, in which workers take information from when a card is swiped for payment and illegally sell the credit card numbers. Different members of the criminal enterprise would steal card information online.
According to the police, this is the biggest identity theft fraud ring ever caught.
Full article + VIDEO: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/100-arrested-massive-nyc-theft-ring-14692962
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