Police in Georgia arrested four out-of-state residents on allegations that they were attempting to steal private information from debit cards. Facing criminal charges for possessing a forgery device, at least one of the four individuals has also been charged for driving without any type of valid license. According to reports, all four people arrested are siblings, the youngest of whom is only 13 years old.
Local authorities were first alerted to the possibility of a scam by a 31-year-old woman. After completing a transaction at a Georgia Bank and Trust ATM, the cover of the machine’s card reader reportedly fell off. Concerned that it could have possibly been a skimmer — a device that can read a card’s information without interfering with the ATM — she called police.
In response to the complaint, police surveyed the bank and apparently witnessed the four siblings acting in a suspicious manner. Police initially had trouble determining their exact identities as, even after questioning them, they reportedly had multiple different identification forms on their persons. As such, the oldest three — who range in age from 17 to 21 years old — are currently behind bars without the opportunity to post bond while police attempt to confirm their identities, although it is apparently still believed that all four are related to one another.
In addition to jail time and steep fines, the lifelong impact of a criminal conviction can be difficult to overcome. No matter the offense charged, most defendants who are facing criminal charges in the state of Georgia are likely to be concerned about the possible implications. While no two cases or defendants are alike, it is still generally well advised for individuals to first review all charges and related evidence alongside their counsel before determining how to proceed in order to achieve the best outcome possible for their individual situation.
Source: newstimes.augusta.com, “4 accused of attaching fake card reader on Georgia Bank & Trust ATM”, Valerie Rowell, Dec. 16, 2015