Man arrested in Columbus debit card skimming investigation
COLUMBUS, Ind. (WISH) – Columbus police are urging residents to check their bank statements, after several reports of fraudulent charges being made on debit cards.
On Wednesday, police arrested 23-year-old Claudiu C. Mihai. He’s accused of using a skimming device to get debit card information from people in Bartholomew County. Police believe he’s stolen thousands of dollars.
According to Columbus Police Department, at least 10 victims have already come forward, but dozens of others may be out there.
Police said someone on Wednesday morning called officers after seeing a man spend an unusually long amount of time at an ATM. When officers arrived, the man ran from them. They eventually caught up with him and found him to be in possession of $1,100 in cash and at least 16 gift cards that had been reprogrammed as debit cards. Police said a skimming device may have been used.
Columbus police Lt. Matt Harris, said, “That is one of the angles we are looking at at this point, that a skimming device was utilized to access the victim’s information and PIN numbers and then suspects were utilizing software to recreate and make new cards using this information.”
He said detectives were working to figure out where those skimming devices may have been placed. They’re also trying to figure out who else the 23-year-old man was working with. They anticipate additional suspects in this case.
Mahai was being held on a preliminary charge of resisting law enforcement. Additional charges are expected to be filed.
