Cuban citizen sentenced to prison for Green Bay area skimming scheme

A Cuban citizen has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for his role in a credit card skimming scheme in the Green Bay area.

Alain Ceballos-Rodriguez, 37, committed credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to federal prosecutors.

In March 2017, the Brown County Sheriff's Office started an investigation into reports of skimming devices on credit card readers at Green Bay area gas station pumps.

The devices used Bluetooth technology to transfer customer credit card information to a laptop. The scammers would then create "clone" cards.

Ceballos-Rodriguez took cloned cards and used them to purchase Wal-Mart gift cards. Ceballos-Rodriguez and co-conspirators used the self-checkouts at the retailer to buy hundreds of gift cards in the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

The gift cards were taken to Florida where they were used or sold online.

Ceballos-Rodriguez was sentenced in federal court on July 17. Chief Judge William C. Griesbach called him a "lower-level participant" who was part of a well-organized fraud ring. The ring, based in Florida, is comprised mostly of Cuban Nationals, prosecutors say.

Judge Griesbach, however, said a strong prison sentence was necessary to deter people from taking part in similar schemes.

Ceballos-Rodriguez was also sentenced to three years on supervised release.

Target 2 Consumer Alert has done numerous stories on credit card skimmers.

Wisconsin's Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection says “high risk areas” for skimmers include major highway corridors, travel centers/plazas, and other areas of heavy traffic.

The skimmers can be external false card readers that fit over actual card reader on the pump.

They can also be internal devices--a communications cable with an in-line recording device that is run between the card reader and main board

The DATCP says you can notice signs of tampering at the pump by lightly wiggling the card reader. Skimmers may feel loose and come off. Also, look to see if security seals on the pump have been broken.

“The best defense against card skimmer theft is a strong offense, so we strongly encourage shoppers to pay close attention to their monthly statements and to regularly check their credit reports. Report any potential skimmer-related fraudulent activity to the financial institution and to the station where the transaction occurred,” says Frank Fassetto, administrator for DATCP.