ATM skimmers wanted after credit union targeted
Published 12:06 am Saturday, December 16, 2017
- An ATM skimming device is installed in LaPlace.
LAPLACE — An unknown number of St. John the Baptist Parish consumers recently fell victim to a first in the area — ATM debit card skimming.
Sheriff Mike Tregre said the discovery of the operation this month at Louisiana Federal Credit Union’s Belle Terre branch in LaPlace was the first time the scam has been pulled locally.
Making matters worse for authorities and residents is the scam’s tough-to-detect approach.
According to the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, the man pictured is believed to have placed an ATM skimming device at Louisiana Federal Credit Union in LaPlace.
Officers said the skimming device, which transmits cardholder data from the magnetic stripe, was placed inside the ATM at 9:33 p.m. Dec. 1 and then uninstalled by the thieves at 7:06 p.m. Dec. 3.
“It’s a device that is very well concealed where you stick your card into the ATM,” Tregre said. “You would have to be paying very close attention (to notice). It’s something that easily adapts to the opening. You wouldn’t know that unless you had a trained eye for it.”
The St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office released surveillance photographs Thursday of two suspects believed responsible for the early-December scam.
Tregre said tips from the community have been rolling in ever since. As of noon Friday, he said it was unknown if the suspects were local, adding they could be part of a traveling group targeting various locations throughout the region.
The woman pictured is believed to have placed an ATM skimming device at Louisiana Federal Credit Union in LaPlace, police said.
Louisiana Federal Credit Union Vice President of Operations Jill Zeringue said the credit union launched a full investigation as soon as members started reporting unauthorized ATM transactions.
“When we were able to isolate the transaction times, we pulled video which revealed the skimmer being installed,” Zeringue said. “We are taking immediate steps to remedy members’ accounts.”
The St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office urges those who may have used the targeted ATM to check their statements for unauthorized withdrawals. If they have been victimized, contact the Sheriff’s Office to file a police report, as well as report the information to the bank.
Anyone with information on the identities of the individuals or the theft is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office TIPS line at 985-359-TIPS or the Criminal Investigations Division at 985-359-8764.
Tips can also be submitted at stjohnsheriff.org/submitatip.php.
