By Madina Toure
Flushing Savings Bank, the NYPD and the 109th Precinct are currently investigating a series of hacking incidents that have affected more than 100 bank customers since October.
The hacking targeted roughly 120 people since October, said Chrissy Voskerichian, president of the 109th Precinct Community Council.
Deputy Inspector Thomas Conforti initially thought slimming devices were used on the bank’s ATMs, she said, but while filing police reports at the 109th Precinct, individuals affected said they never used an ATM.
The 109th Precinct has been conducting an outreach campaign via emails and Facebook posts to inform customers of the incident as well as encouraging them to check their bank accounts to ensure that their information has not been compromised.
“Whether it’s a skimming device or not, people still need to keep up their guard,” Voskerichian said. “When they are using an ATM or when they are using a debit card, they need to take those extra two seconds and think to cover when they’re entering their PIN. They just have to do it.”
Flushing Savings Bank is working with the NYPD’s Financial Crimes Task Force, which has had ongoing meetings about the incident.
“They are working very hard to resolve it,” Voskerichian said.
About 20 people were affected in October, another 40 people between November and December and another 60 people at the end of December and the beginning of January, Voskerichian said.
Reach reporter Madina Toure by e-mail at mtoure@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4566.
