News

ATM 'skimming' case may be part of a ring

October 15, 2009

The (Southern California) Daily Breeze reports that a Citibank ATM breach in the Manhattan Beach area may be connected to a crime ring out of Romania. The paper reports that a Romanian national was arrested by local police while he was attempting to install a fake keyboard atop a Citibank ATM. The suspect, George Puflene, is believed to be part of an organized crime ring that skimmed $70,000 from Citi customers' accounts.

So far, Manhattan Beach police have received 50 reports of illegal transactions.Withdrawals from bank accounts ranged from $100 to $10,000.

Citibank has reimbursed its customers for the money lost, making itself the primary victim.

The Manhattan Beach case is the second major ATM skimming operation discovered in the South Bay since May. As many as 1,000 people who used ATM cards to buy gas at an Arco station in Redondo Beach also were victimized when their card numbers and PINs were skimmed from a pay-at-the-pump terminal. About $200,000 was withdrawn from accounts at several banks in connection with that skimming attack.

No arrests in that case have been made.

Prosecutors have charged Puflene with computer access and fraud, theft, fraudulent possession and use of a scanning device, and possession of burglary tools.