WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – A device that skimmed credit and debit card information at a Western Springs bank may have been the work of a Romanian criminal organization, authorities say.
On Aug. 9, a repairman at PNC Bank, 40 47th St., told Western Springs police about finding the device on an ATM.
Local police spoke with an agent from the Secret Service, which handles such matters nationally. The police were told the Romanian criminal organization sends members to Mexico, where they obtain fake identifications and enter the United States, police said.
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Some members have been arrested, with the organization operating in Chicago, Cleveland, New York, Indiana and Southern California, police said. It is believed the main hub is being conducted by a “middleman” in Chicago.
The organization’s members have been mainly targeting PNC banks with specific ATM models, police said.
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Western Springs police were told that the local incident can be added to the federal case if video or photos were obtained from PNC Bank.
But the police report, which Patch obtained through a public records request, gives no indication that the bank furnished any relevant video or photos.
The bank discovered the issue when a contractor was called to service the machine because a debit card was stuck inside, police said. The bank was unable to determine the time or date the device was placed inside the machine.
In an August email to Patch, PNC Bank spokeswoman Maria Pasic told Patch, “The security of our customers’ accounts is our top priority. We are investigating a potential fraud issue affecting a PNC ATM. Any customers who notice suspicious activity on their accounts should contact us right away using the number listed on the back of their PNC ATM card or at [email protected].”
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