A new scheme discovered in Malden may have you thinking twice about whether or not your credit card is safe in your wallet.
Malden Police Lieutenant Marc Gatcomb discovered one of these schemes involving two suspects and something you can buy in nearly any store.
The suspects went into a local CVS and stole about 80 gift cards. Investigators allege the suspects then wiped the numbers off of the gift cards, embossed stolen credit card numbers onto them, and then magnetized the cards to work in conjunction with the stolen numbers.
Gatcomb says Malden Police found 40 of the fake credit cards in the suspect's car. They also found several hundred dollars worth of items purchased with at least two of the cards from a local department store. Gatcomb says it wasn't their first crime.
"We've been contacted by some local retailers as well as retailers out of state who saw their pictures and they in fact think they were compromised by these people as well," he says.
The suspects are out on bail after being charged with shoplifting and possession of more than four counterfeit credit cards.
Malden Police say this is the first time they've seen this type of credit card theft, but they're confident it won't be the last.
The Secret Service is using software to track down the banks where the numbers came from. Investigators ask everyone to be vigilant and check their statements.
Cox Media Group
