CHICAGO - Three men have been sentenced to federal prison for an ATM card-skimming scam in Chicago and New Jersey.
What we know:
Florin Nicole Tarta, 40, of Romania; Leonid Grigore Smetanca, 45, of Romania; and Radu Farcas, 42, of England, installed card-skimming devices on multiple Bank of America ATMs, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The devices were used to steal users' card numbers and account information. Pinhole cameras were also placed near the ATM keyboards to capture users' PINs.
Days later the devices were collected, and the captured data was converted to gift cards. The defendants used the counterfeit gift cards to withdraw cash from various banks, totaling $177,280.
Law enforcement found one of the hidden cameras on an ATM in Westfield, N.J. in March 2024. Tarta