Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Uncovers Social Media-Driven Operation, Seizes Counterfeit Tools, IDs, and Cash
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – A sophisticated “tap-in” ATM fraud scheme, allegedly orchestrated through social media, has been dismantled by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Economic Crimes Section, leading to the arrest of a Tampa woman. Janetcilize Martinez, 24, was taken into custody on July 29, 2025, after an investigation that began with a tip received on May 8, 2025.
According to HCSO, Martinez was actively advertising “tap-in” services online, a fraudulent method that exploits legitimate debit cards from willing account holders to deposit counterfeit or fraudulent checks. The scheme involves quickly withdrawing funds from ATMs before the checks are identified as fraudulent and returned by the bank.
Detectives initiated an investigation after observing numerous public social media posts from Martinez. These posts reportedly solicited individuals with various bank accounts and displayed images of large withdrawal receipts, alongside tools commonly associated with the production of counterfeit financial instruments…