Two Romanians have been jailed after using ‘shimming’ devices to clone their victims’ card information at ATMs and steal $36,000.
A 34-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman were sentenced on Friday to four and two years in prison respectively after installing fluorescent lights at ATMs in Sydney and Melbourne.
“ATM shields are thin, card-sized metal devices that act as a spacer when inserted into the card slot of an ATM,” the Australian Federal Police said in a statement.
‘The devices are designed to record data on the card’s magnetic stripe and chip, which the offender can later access when he or she retrieves the flash.’
AFP officers raided a home in Rhodes, in Sydney’s Inner West, and the man and woman’s rental car in August 2023.
They seized $12,935 in cash, various counterfeiting devices, fake IDs, electronic devices, card readers and SIM cards. The couple was arrested shortly after.
AFP launched its investigation into the scam after receiving an alert from the US Secret Service about a shipment of ATM flash drives being sent to Australia.
Investigators were able to identify the Romanians through a series of suspicious packages sent from the United Kingdom, China and the United States.
Two Romanians were arrested after using ATM shimming devices to clone victims’ card information and steal $36,000 (pictured: one of the scammers)
A 34-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman were sentenced on Friday to four and two years in prison respectively after installing fluorescent lights at ATMs (pictured, money recovered from their property)
Officers later witnessed the pair installing the tampering devices on ATMs in Melbourne and Sydney before going to banks to withdraw or transfer money using stolen card details.
Both the man and woman pleaded guilty to multiple fraud charges in May and were sentenced to prison in Campbelltown District Court, Sydney, on Friday.
The man faces four years and two months in prison, with a non-parole period of two years and six months.
The woman was sentenced to two years and six months in prison, with a non-parole period of one year and six months.
He will be eligible for parole on February 3, 2025.
Both are expected to be deported after serving their sentences.
AFP Detective Superintendent Tim Stainton said the arrests were a “great example” of the AFP-led Joint Police Cybercrime Coordination Centre’s ability to crack down on financial crime.
Both the man and woman pleaded guilty to multiple fraud charges in May and were sentenced to jail in Campbelltown District Court, Sydney, on Friday (pictured: one of the fraudsters)
The pair used a “shimming” device (pictured) to clone ATM users’ card information.
“Intelligence sharing and joint investigations between the USSS, banks and state and territory law enforcement partners have helped us identify and prosecute cyber criminals who scam, steal and defraud innocent Australians,” he said.
‘Criminals will shamelessly use any tool at their disposal to exploit people for their own greedy gain, at the expense of Australians who are already struggling.
‘This should serve as a reminder that no matter where you are, your criminal actions can always be traced and the AFP will not hesitate to bring you to justice.’