NEW YORK — Police investigators say they broke up a stolen credit card ring in Queens this week, arresting 38 people across the city and Long Island who printed phony credit cards with account numbers of American consumers whose numbers were stolen by a computer hacker in China.
The criminal enterprise, dubbed “The House of Cards” by police, produced 3,000 fake credit cards a month, as well as phony driver’s licenses from New York, Illinois and Washington, police said. It affected tens of thousands of customers, police said.
Police from the Organized Theft and Identity Theft Task Force seized a credit card coding machine, metal plates, a credit card embossing machine, gold and silver foil and 95 counterfeit credit cards.
Police said the scam enlisted crews of shoppers with fake IDs to board various flights to Chicago, Los Angeles, San Antonio, Texas and Miami. The New York-based shopping crews bought luxury merchandise that was then sold on the Internet.
“This was a well-oiled machine,” said Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly. He said one card use totaled $55,000. The total amount stolen could be in the millions, police said.
Some customers have been notified, but Kelly urged people to check their bills for possible fraud.
Those arrested are charged with defrauding consumers and several financial corporations. If convicted, they face up to 25 years in prison.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
