Contact:
Captain Steve Rose
srose@sandyspringsga.gov
Email Lt. Steve Rose
Captain Steve Rose
404-886-1287
For Immediate Release
SSPD Arrests Suspects in "Skimmer" Thefts
Ongoing Investigation Nets Additional Arrest
Release Date: 2/14/2012
In what has been an ongoing investigation, Sandy Springs Police detectives arrested 31-year old Aja Annunziata of Summer Crossing Drive in Sandy Springs and charged her with twenty-nine counts of Financial ID Fraud. Annunziata, who was employed as a server at the Taco Mac Restaurant, 5600 Roswell Road, had in her possession a portable credit-card skimmer that she used on several occasions to swipe and retain customer's credit card information.
In December. 2011, Taco Mac managers, who suspected her of stealing credit-card numbers, observed Annunziata remove a "skimmer" from her apron pocket while on the restaurant floor. The skimmer was found later in the evening in her coat pocket . They notified Sandy Springs Police who took possession of the skimmer. Annunziata was not charged at the time, pending investigation.
On December 20, a search warrant was issued for the skimmer that was taken from Taco Mac on December 17. The information retrieved on the skimmer indicated 29 credit-card numbers and information were captured fraudulently while in the possession of Annunziata. She was arrested on December 21 at her residence at 704 Summer Drive in Sandy Springs and charged with 29 counts of Financial Identity Fraud.
On February 14, detectives executed a search warrant at 704 Summer Drive and recovered three large commercial credit card readers and writers as well as dozens of "Green Dot" pre-paid gift cards, and other gift cards, all fraudulent, containing credit card information from unsuspecting victims. They arrested 31-year old Kareem Anthony Annunziata of 704 Summer Crossing and charged with Possession of Tools for the Commission of a Crime and Financial Identity Fraud. The investigation is likely to produce a number of additional charges.
How Does Skimming Work?
A skimmer, or credit card reader, is a device that contains a slot which a credit card, or debit card magnetic strip slides through. The reader captures the customer's information and stores it. That information is then transferred to a credit-card writer. The writer, which is similar and sometimes built into the same machine, then transfers the information onto a blank gift card's magnetic strip, thus capturing the victim's information. The cards, in this case, "Green Dot" cards, can then be used to purchase merchandise.
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Contact:
Captain Steve Rose
srose@sandyspringsga.gov
Email Lt. Steve Rose
Captain Steve Rose
404-886-1287
For Immediate Release
SSPD Arrests Suspects in "Skimmer" Thefts
Ongoing Investigation Nets Additional Arrest
Release Date: 2/14/2012
In what has been an ongoing investigation, Sandy Springs Police detectives arrested 31-year old Aja Annunziata of Summer Crossing Drive in Sandy Springs and charged her with twenty-nine counts of Financial ID Fraud. Annunziata, who was employed as a server at the Taco Mac Restaurant, 5600 Roswell Road, had in her possession a portable credit-card skimmer that she used on several occasions to swipe and retain customer's credit card information.
In December. 2011, Taco Mac managers, who suspected her of stealing credit-card numbers, observed Annunziata remove a "skimmer" from her apron pocket while on the restaurant floor. The skimmer was found later in the evening in her coat pocket . They notified Sandy Springs Police who took possession of the skimmer. Annunziata was not charged at the time, pending investigation.
On December 20, a search warrant was issued for the skimmer that was taken from Taco Mac on December 17. The information retrieved on the skimmer indicated 29 credit-card numbers and information were captured fraudulently while in the possession of Annunziata. She was arrested on December 21 at her residence at 704 Summer Drive in Sandy Springs and charged with 29 counts of Financial Identity Fraud.
On February 14, detectives executed a search warrant at 704 Summer Drive and recovered three large commercial credit card readers and writers as well as dozens of "Green Dot" pre-paid gift cards, and other gift cards, all fraudulent, containing credit card information from unsuspecting victims. They arrested 31-year old Kareem Anthony Annunziata of 704 Summer Crossing and charged with Possession of Tools for the Commission of a Crime and Financial Identity Fraud. The investigation is likely to produce a number of additional charges.
How Does Skimming Work?
A skimmer, or credit card reader, is a device that contains a slot which a credit card, or debit card magnetic strip slides through. The reader captures the customer's information and stores it. That information is then transferred to a credit-card writer. The writer, which is similar and sometimes built into the same machine, then transfers the information onto a blank gift card's magnetic strip, thus capturing the victim's information. The cards, in this case, "Green Dot" cards, can then be used to purchase merchandise.
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