“After acquiring the financial data, they initiate wire transfers from the victims’ accounts. To avoid detection, they need to move the money into untraceable accounts, and that’s where they started recruiting others,” Chief Ellison told ABC13. “Criminals have all the time they need to figure out how to steal your information,” he added.
When the search warrants were exercised police recovered over $10,000 in cash linked to the scheme, along with various illegal drugs and controlled substances found in the defendants’ possession. Arrests were made the same day.
Victims of this scheme were reportedly unaware that their financial information had been compromised until they noticed money missing from their accounts.
Chief Ellison warned in his statement that “crimes like these are becoming far too common and growing more complex.”
