HUDSON, Mass. — A man who police say is in the U.S. illegally, is now in federal custody after a credit card crime spree that spanned the entire Northeast.
“Shoot, it’s crazy because in the future of money - cash is not king anymore, it’s all about banking and carding,” said shopper Olajuwon Dickerson.
Romario Serban was arrested for a credit card skimmer scam that started last July.
“Like he needs to be arrested. It’s not good for our neighborhood,” said shopper Renan Neves.
Police say Serban stole more than 29,000 credit and EBT cards using skimmers at a total of 22 Walmart stores.
He hit stores in New York, Maine, New Hampshire, and Hudson, Massachusetts.
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Cyber security experts say this was a sophisticated operation.
“A lot of the skimming devices these days have wireless technology to remotely capture the data from outside the store,” said Robert Siciliano a Cyber Security expert.
He says we all need to take precautions. And he recommends three ways to protect yourself.
He says don’t use a debit card and especially not the pin because that gives thieves direct access to your bank account.
The better thing is to use a credit card with a chip. And the most secure way to use it is to hold it over the machine. The second best way is to insert it right into the machine,” he says.
In the end, consumers need to always be on alert.
“So, it’s scary because all of our money is on cards and if somebody can scam it and take it you wouldn’t even know,” said Dickerson.
Siciliano also adds that you should have more tips:
- Always keep an eye on your bank statements
- And sign up for push notifications that alert you every time your card is used.
That way you can always keep an eye on your accounts.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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