Four charged with credit card fraud

From MaltaMedia.com

Local News
Four charged with credit card fraud
By MaltaMedia News
Dec 31, 2004, 09:30

Four Romanians were charged of stealing money from local Bank ATMs by means of fraud equipment. They were accused of fraud, falsification, theft and of copying personal information from credit cards. The court ruled out that they should remain under police custody.

The Romanians, Teodora Carmen Stanciu, 21, and three men Stalica Corneanu, 42, Vasile Usturoi, 35, and Nicolae Dumitru 29 pleaded not guilty to the accusations brought against them.

The court was presided by Magistrate Lawrence Quintano, while Police Inspector Joe Cordina prosecuted.

The persons were arrested on Wednesday after the Police Squad Against Economic Riots have seized fraud equipment attached to local Bank ATMs used to copy personal information. The equipment seized used to record the information contained in credit cards. The police said that there was also a digital camera to record pin numbers.

Meanwhile, both HSBC Bank Malta plc and Bank of Valletta plc have publicly thanked the Malta police authorities for the prompt and efficient way in which they have handled the incident of the gang charged with stealing confidential card information via special equipment affixed to ATMs.

In a press release, the banks emphasised that the use of cards on ATMs is safe and secure and customers should continue using these facilities. Furthermore, both banks re-iterate the importance of diligently abiding by the normal card and PIN security instructions.