LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Lubbock police say a credit card skimming operation at a south Lubbock Walmart compromised dozens of customers’ accounts and is connected to a larger Romanian crime ring.
An incident report shows investigators with the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center identified 20-year-old Francesco Matei and 22-year-old Iosiv-Roberto Curea as the men who planted a skimmer device on a register at the Walmart Neighborhood Market at 98th St. and University Ave.
Detectives said store video shows one man concealing the device behind a roll of paper towels while the other purchased water and gum as a distraction.
The device allegedly captured information from nearly 150 credit and debit cards.
The case has been filed with the Lubbock County District Attorney. Both men face multiple felony counts for credit card fraud, identity theft, and illegal interception of electronic communications.
Matei and Curea were arrested in Bexar County and are now held at the Lubbock County Detention Center.
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