A Chicago man recently pleaded guilty to putting together and operating an ATM skimming ring that stole more than $200,000 from city residents and visitors.
The widespread ring operated by attacking cards issued by at least seven different companies, and was run by 32-year-old Joseph Woods, according to a report from the
Chicago Sun Times. Woods was sentenced to five years in prison.
The fraud ring used devices to steal credit and debit card numbers scanned by ATMs and restaurant card readers everywhere from Taco Bells and McDonald's to Wrigley Field, the report said. Woods paid employees at the restaurant chains to steal customer card information, which he then used to make copies of those cards for use in fraudulent transactions. A number of co-defendants also have their own cases pending.
"Skimming operations are a growing threat to consumers, who usually aren't aware they've been victimized in such a scheme," Illinois attorney general Lisa Madigan told the newspaper.
Adam Levin is the chairman of
Identity Theft and writes regularly on his blog about the ways in which consumers can protect themselves from this type of fraud, as well as others that might affect them.
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