The Skimming Operation

The gang placed devices known as “skimmers” in ATMs to copy and store the magnetic strip of any card inserted into the machines. That information was then imprinted on a blank card to create a duplicate. Later, the gang’s scheme grew more sophisticated. They set up an ATM company in Mexico and after signing a deal with Multiva, a Mexican bank, they started installing their own ATMs with skimming technology implanted directly into the motherboards. The gang also used Bluetooth technology to retrieve the stolen data on their mobile phones without even touching the compromised ATMs. One former gang member estimated they made up to US$240 million a year from the scheme, or as much as $1.2 billion over five years.