By Gabriel Rom
A group of roving ATM skimmers are plaguing Forest Hills, Queens Village and Flushing.
Police said three unidentified males obtained debit card numbers through the placement of skimmer devices at 7-11 locations in Queens from August to October 2015. The compromised debit and credit card numbers are transferred on to counterfeit cards for the purpose of fraudulently making ATM withdrawals, police explained.
Police reported five incidents, one of which occurred in Forest Hills. On Friday, Sept. 4, at around 2:10 p.m. a 36-year-old male victim discovered three ATM withdrawals totaling $306 on his debit card. The victim did have a credit card on his person when the transactions occurred. Four other similar incidents occurred within the 110th Precinct and 105th Precinct.
On Oct. 2, at around noon a 27-year-old female victim from Flushing received a call from TD bank inquiring about a transaction made in her checking account, police said. The victim’s Citibank ATM pin number was used and a withdrawal of $503 was made on her card. The victim did have the credit card on her person when the transaction occurred, police added.
Police said three other incidents in Queens Village and Flushing also fit the crime pattern.
Police described the three persons of interest in the crime as follows:
A white male wearing a white hat, white T-shirt and sunglasses; a black or Hispanic male wearing a black long-sleeved shirt, black jeans, white Jordan sneakers and a black and red hat; and a black or Hispanic male wearing a black long-sleeved shirt, black jeans, black-and-white Jordan sneakers and a black hat.
Reach reporter Gabriel Rom by e-mail at grom@
