North Miami Beach police say a South Florida couple turned their home into an ATM fraud workshop, complete with a skimming device and hidden camera allegedly used to clone cards and drain cash. Detectives report finding what appeared to be a skimmer with a pinhole camera sitting on the couple’s kitchen counter, along with 143 credit, gift and prepaid cards. Investigators say 132 of those cards had already been re-encoded. Surveillance reviewed by detectives reportedly shows a man cycling through multiple debit cards at an ATM, and federal immigration authorities were notified. The two suspects remain jailed on an immigration hold as the investigation continues.
Tip And Video Tie String Of Withdrawals To CVS ATM
According to police, the case opened after an informant reported five unauthorized ATM withdrawals. Detectives say the trail of suspicious transactions and footage eventually led them to 46-year-old Norvys Colmenares Zambrano. Surveillance video allegedly shows Colmenares at the ATM inside the CVS at 1825 NE 185th St. on May 22, repeatedly inserting multiple debit cards. Investigators say he handled a wallet in a way that suggested he was separating cards he had already tried from those he had not yet used, as reported by Local 10.
How Skimmers Steal Data And How To Spot Them
Skimming devices can copy the data stored on a card’s magnetic stripe and, when paired with tiny cameras or keypad overlays, can capture PINs so scammers can re-encode that information onto blank cards, according to the FBI. Consumer and bank guidance often urges customers to tug on card readers to check for loose or misaligned parts, look for tampered security seals at gas pumps, and choose to pay inside or use contactless options when possible. Police say this arrest follows other recent local skimming busts, including a West Miami case last month in which officers pulled a device from a neighborhood market, a scenario similar to the one described in Tray Trick At Checkout, highlighting how often these schemes resurface; see the FBI for broader fraud prevention tips.
Arrests, DHS Involvement And What Comes Next
North Miami Beach police say they arrested 46-year-old Colmenares and 29-year-old Janckeily Guerra Machado, booking both on multiple charges tied to the alleged skimming operation. Authorities told investigators the pair are Venezuelan nationals who entered the United States illegally, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has been brought into the case. Police say both suspects are still behind bars on an immigration hold. Anyone who thinks they may have been caught up in the scheme is urged to contact North Miami Beach Police, according to Local 10.
What Victims Should Do Next
If you suspect your card information has been compromised, contact your bank or card issuer right away to freeze or cancel the card and dispute any charges you did not authorize. File a police report, then report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission, and consider submitting a complaint through the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Keep a close eye on your account statements and set up transaction alerts so you can catch any further suspicious activity as quickly as possible.
