Florida law enforcement dismantles two credit card fraud operations

Law enforcement agencies in Florida have dismantled two separate credit card fraud operations involving stolen financial data and skimming technology.

In Central Florida, the Hillsborough County and Manatee County Sheriff’s Offices arrested 32-year-old Juan Miguel Acosta Ramos. Following an investigation triggered by a counterfeit card used at a Wawa, detectives searched a residence in Apollo Beach. They seized 154 counterfeit credit cards, numerous skimming devices, ledgers, and electronic equipment used to manufacture fraudulent cards. Ramos faces charges including trafficking in counterfeit credit cards and tampering with physical evidence.

In a separate incident, the Florida Highway Patrol arrested 38-year-old David Ortiz Barban on Interstate 75 in Sumter County. During a traffic stop, troopers discovered a magnetic strip encoder and a laptop containing a Magcard read/write utility. A subsequent search of the laptop revealed more than 1,700 stolen credit card numbers, including names, PINs, and ZIP codes. Barban was booked into the Sumter County Detention Center on fraud charges.