On Nov. 10, King County prosecutors filed charges of first degree theft, improperly obtaining financial information and first and second degree identity theft against two men, one of them from White Center, for a card skimming operation targeted at BECU ATMs.

Charging documents against Claudiu Flaviu Tudor and Mihai Podaru aka Gvidiv Mateescu came down after a several month long investigation involving officers and detectives from the Kirkland and Renton police departments.

Video surveillance footage and BECU transaction data was used to identify the suspects and catch them in the act of collecting card data, then allegedly using counterfeit cards to withdraw money, documents said.

The documents allege the operation went like this: Tudor and Podaru rigged ATMs in Renton and Puyallup with card skimmers and cameras that obtained card and pin numbers from anyone using the ATM.

“The suspects attached a skimming device that is designed to fit over the card reader that has a protruding green anti-skimming device. The suspects were able to create a replica device that would attach to the card reader and capture the magnetic card information when a card is entered into the ATM. It is believed that a camera was placed above the keypad to capture the person’s PIN,” Detective Carroll with the Kirkland Police Department said in his report.

For a diagram of the skimming operation, click here (provided by The Telegraph, a newspaper out of the U.K.).

The skimming devices were placed on ATMs for around two hours and then removed to collect card numbers, according to charging documents.

At one ATM in Renton, 55 cards were compromised resulting in an eventual $170,000 in theft, and there is likely more to discover.

Prosecuting attorney Lisa Napoli O’Toole stated in charging documents, “Only a small fraction of the victims in this case have been contacted thus far regarding their losses. Once the investigation is completed, hundreds of additional counts of Identity Theft may be charged.”

The information was used to make counterfeit cards which the men allegedly used to withdraw money from any ATM, often times withdrawing up to $1,000 at a time, according to the report.

Police allege Tudor attempted to use two counterfeit cards at the BECU ATM in West Seattle’s Safeway on 28th Ave s.w. on Oct. 12, however both withdraw requests of $1,000 were denied since the owners of the cards had already notified the bank of fraudulent activity.

Both Tudor and Podaru are being held in King County Jail on $250,000 bonds and prosecutor’s have requested that both men, believed to be Romanian, surrender their passports.

Charging documents state that law enforcement have been unable to determine Podaru’s true identity and that Immigration and Customs Enforcement have no record of him entering the U.S. When police apprehended him, Podura had “multiple passports in multiple names as well as multiple counterfeit drivers’ licenses from multiple states in multiple names, all bearing defendant Podaru’s photo.”

Police believe Tudor is a naturalized citizen, “however, according to Det. Carroll, he will likely face revocation of his citizenship upon conviction in this case.”

Over 4700 miles away in London, a similar case was reported by The Telegraph were a Romanian gang was arrested in 2008 for attaching cameras and card skimmers to train station ticket terminals.

The case differed in that the stolen card information was passed to a third party who then made counterfeit cards and the ensuing illegal withdrawals were mostly made outside of England.

How to protect yourself

The European ATM Security Team website lists a number of security tips when using an ATM (some of which are beyond the scope of card skimmer operations, but still useful):

•Protect your PIN by standing close to the ATM and shielding the key pad with your other hand.

•Check to see if anything looks unusual or suspicious about the ATM. If it appears to have anything stuck onto the card slot or key pad, do not use it. Cancel the transaction and walk away. Never try to remove suspicious devices.

•Be cautious if strangers offer to help you at an ATM, even if your card is stuck or you’re having difficulties. Don’t allow anyone to distract you.

•Where possible, use an ATM which is in clear view and well lit.

•Check that other people in the queue are a reasonable distance away from you.

•Keep you PIN secret. Never reveal it to anyone, even someone who claims to be calling from your bank or a police officer.

•Avoid opening your purse, bag or wallet when you’re in the queue. Put your money away immediately.

•Regularly check your account balance and bank statements, and report any discrepancies to your bank immediately.

To see a card skimmer placing a camera and skimming device on an ATM in action, please check out the YouTube video posted by ivecity.