LUBBOCK, Texas — Two men are accused of placing a credit card skimmer on a checkout terminal at the Walmart Neighborhood Market on University Avenue as part of a larger skimming operation across Texas.
A skimmer is an illegal device secretly attached to a card reader that captures payment card information when a customer swipes their card.
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Investigators said Walmart employees discovered the skimmer and alerted police. Officers worked with the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center to identify the suspects and connect them to additional skimming cases across Texas. Police said the device was recovered before the stolen card information could be used, preventing additional financial losses for customers.
According to Lubbock County court documents, 21-year-old Francesco Matei and 22-year-old Iosiv-Roberto Curea allegedly installed the skimming device, which compromised information from 149 payment cards. Both were later arrested in Bexar County and face multiple felony charges.
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Following the incident, the Lubbock Police Department is advising residents on how to stay safe from these potential skimmer attacks…