Melbourne ATM scam: Mihai Camara jailed for sophisticated card skimming operation
The personal bank details of a “significant” number of Melburnians has been stolen by a criminal gang member using a sophisticated scam across Melbourne’s east. Find out if you were a victim.
Inner South
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The personal data of a “significant” number of bank customers has been stolen by a member of a Romanian crime gang.
They targeted ATMs at Dingley Discounts in Dingley Village, Justformen in Forest Hill and a NAB bank on Glenferrie Rd in Hawthorn.
The criminals, who were sentenced to prison time on Friday, used “deep insert card skimming” to steal critical information.
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Romanian national Mihai Camara installed skimming devices and pinhole cameras — used to capture customer PIN numbers — at all three ATMs between April and July, 2017.
Camara’s former brother-in-law, Florinel Camara, helped install the Glenferrie Rd skimmer and pinhole camera.
The number of people who had their data stolen is unclear but the County Court heard the devices could capture the personal information of a “significant amount” of customers in just one day.
The Dingley Village skimmer was active for three days, the Forest Hill skimmer for a day but the Glenferrie Rd device malfunctioned shortly after it was installed.
The skimmer and camera were discovered after customers complained their cards were getting stuck in the machine.
Police raided a Docklands apartment leased by Mihai Camara, where they seized skimming devices and laptops which contained 147 hours of video footage of card data and PIN numbers obtained from Dingley Village and Forest Hill.
Police also seized word and text files from Mihai Camara’s laptop, which contained identification information.
A text file with time references followed by PINs was also discovered.
Additionally, investigators also found skimming software and an internet search history for skimming devices.
The pair denied any wrongdoing when interviewed by police but Mihai Camara, 38, pleaded guilty in the County Court last Wednesday to one charge of conspiracy to defraud.
He has been sentenced to four years in prison with a minimum of two years and six months and will be deported back to Romania when released.
Florinel Camara, 30, pleaded guilty at the same hearing to conspiracy to possess identification information and was sentenced to eight months in prison.
The dual citizen, presently serving a three-year term for similar offences, will begin his eight-month stint inside once that term expires on April 2.
The court heard how Florinel Camara stole more than $180,000 through a “cash trapping” scheme in 2013.
Judge Lisa Hannan said it was “concerning” that people “can just buy these things off the internet”.
“This is a serious offence which seriously impacts the lives of people in our community,” she said.
“It undermines the confidence in the banking system.”
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