Point of a sale skimmers found at 19 Walmarts

2 May 2024 · 2 min

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Boston 25 News aired a local report detailing a credit‑card skimming operation that targeted Walmart stores across the Northeast. The segment identifies Romario Serban, an undocumented immigrant now in federal custody, as the alleged mastermind who installed wireless skimming devices in 22 Walmart locations from New York to Massachusetts, stealing data from more than 29,000 credit and EBT cards and compromising tens of thousands of dollars. The report explains how modern skimmers can capture card data remotely, and features cybersecurity expert Robert Siciliano offering three practical consumer‑protection steps: avoid using debit cards with PIN entry, prefer chip‑enabled credit cards (contactless or inserted), and continuously monitor accounts with push‑alert notifications. The broadcast frames the incident as a symptom of the broader shift away from cash toward card‑based payments, emphasizing the heightened risk and the need for vigilance.

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See this man? The feds say he used credit card skimmers to steal tens of thousands of dollars. They were placed inside Walmarts across the Northeast, including here in Massachusetts. Now at 10:45, we're showing you how they work and the best way to protect yourself.
Boston 25 News reporter John Monaghan is here live. And John, there are very specific things that we can do to protect ourselves.
That's right, Vanessa, and that includes keeping an eye on your bank accounts. That's because thieves are so sophisticated right now They can strike almost anywhere and without you even knowing it. This man who police say is in the U.S. illegally is now in federal custody after a credit card crime spree that spanned the Northeast.
Shoot, and it's crazy because as in the future, money, cash is not king no more. It's all about banking and carding.
Romario Serban was arrested for a skimmer scam that started last July.
Like, you know, he needs to be arrested, you know. It's not good for, like, our, you know, our neighborhood, you know.
In all, police say Serban stole more than 29,000 credit and EBT cards using skimmers like these at Walmart stores. He hit 22 Walmart stores starting in New York, then to Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, including this Hudson store. Cybersecurity experts say this was a sophisticated operation.
A lot of the skimming devices these days have wireless technology that allows the fraudster to remotely capture the data from outside of the store.
Robert Siciliano says to take precautions. So here are 3 ways you can protect yourself. First of all, if you have a debit card, try not to use that, and especially not the PIN. That goes right to your bank account. The better thing, use a credit card with a chip. And the most secure way to use that is to wave it right over the machine. The second best way to use that credit card is to insert it right into the machine. In the end, consumers always need to be on alert.
So it's scary because all of our money's on cards and if somebody could scam it and take it, you wouldn't even know.
And you won't. So that's important. And here are two more tips. Always, always, always keep an eye on your bank accounts and your statements from your bank and sign up for push alerts. That way, every time you do use your credit card or even your debit card, you'll get an alert sent right to your phone. We're live in Quincy tonight. I'm John Monaghan for your local station, Boston 25 News.