3 arrested in large credit card skimming scheme

Posted 26 January 2017 at 11:29 am

Ramirez-Salgado

Alvarez-Santos

Garcia-Fernandez

Press Release, State Police

ALBION – State Troopers and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) on Tuesday arrested Yordani Ramirez-Salgado, 27 of Miami, FL, Ernesto Alvarez-Santos, 20 of Hialeah, FL and Abel Garcia-Fernandez, 31 of Hialeah, FL for Forgery 2nd (D-Felony), Possession of a Forged Instrument 2nd (D-Felony), Grand Larceny 4th (E-Felony), Scheme to Defraud 1st (E-Felony), Conspiracy 5th (A-Misdemeanor) and Resisting Arrest (A-Misdemeanor).

On Tuesday at 1:59 pm, Troopers and BCI responded to Walmart in Albion for men attempting to use fraudulent gift cards. When Troopers and BCI investigators approached Ramirez-Salgado, he attempted to flee and resisted arrest.

Ramirez-Salgado was transported to the State Police barracks in Albion for processing. The other suspects fled the scene in a red Nissan Versa which was given out by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.  This vehicle was later located by an off duty county dispatcher traveling on State Route 98. With the assistance of an Orleans County deputy that vehicle was stopped and Garcia-Fernandez, Alvarez-Santos where detained and transported to the State Police in Albion.

All three were remanded to Orleans County Jail on $100,000 bail.

The three suspects have traveled from Florida to New York for the purpose of obtaining credit card information. These three suspects are believed to be a smaller part of a larger group of suspects who are using devices and the Internet to obtain credit card information.

The State Police is working with the Secret Service, Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement agencies in the area.

At this time it is possible that hundreds of credit card information has been taken.

This is still an ongoing criminal investigation.

If you are a victim of credit card fraud contact your County Dispatch non-emergency number.

Allegany County Sheriff’s Office      585-268-9600

Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office 716-938-9191

Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office 716-664-3100

Erie County Sheriff’s Office              716-858-2903

Genesee County Sheriff’s Office       585-343-5000

Niagara County Sheriff’s Office        716-438-3394

Orleans County Sheriff’s Office        585-589-5528

Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office     585-786-2255

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