Three individuals are currently detained in Tarrant County Jail, facing charges of engaging in organized criminal activity and unlawful use of electronic communications. This investigation, revealed by NBC 5, is part of a broader effort to combat financial fraud, particularly the prevalent ATM skimming scams targeting unsuspecting users.
As ATM users are increasingly advised to conceal their PINs while withdrawing cash, financial fraud experts in Texas caution that such measures may not be sufficient to deter skilled fraudsters. Jeff Roberts, associated with the Financial Crimes Intelligence Center (FCIC), noted a significant rise in skimming activities across the state since the agency’s establishment in 2022, following legislative efforts to enhance the coordination of organized financial fraud investigations.
The FCIC, in collaboration with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) and the Smith County District Attorney’s Office, has been actively investigating these fraudulent schemes. In a recent operation, investigators recovered 26 deep-insert skimmer devices, along with parts to construct 13 additional units.
Skimmer devices have been a longstanding issue, functioning by reading the magnetic stripe on credit cards and often utilizing small pinhole cameras to capture users’ PINs. This particular case led to the June 14 arrest of Mihai Florin Marienscu (37), Nelu Nae (36), and Mihai Vlaicu (47), all of whom are facing multiple charges related to their organized criminal activities.
Roberts emphasized the swift response of law enforcement: “As soon as we learned that these suspects were traveling into Texas, they were here less than a week total before an arrest was made.” The suspects are believed to have placed skimming devices on ATMs throughout Tarrant and Dallas County and are under investigation for similar activities in several other states.