Washington Skimming Scam Drains Accounts

REDMOND, Wash. – A sophisticated skimming scheme may have duplicated the credit/debit cards of hundreds of customers at a local business then used them to drain hundreds of thousands of dollars from accounts at area credit unions and banks. The business, identified as Smokers Choice, apparently used a card-swiping machine to steal customers’ card information, then make duplicate cards, which were used to withdraw funds from ATMs. At least 310 consumers were victimized at 18 area financial institutions, including Boeing Employees CU, Washington mutual, Bank of America, US Bank and Banner Bank. The amount of stolen funds has risen to around $240,000 in recent days. Police say Hrant ‘Mike’ Aslanyan, the smoke shop’s former owner, used a transaction terminal to swipe the cards’ information. Aslanyan, who has been charged with theft and possession of stolen property, is believed to be involved in an organized crime group that has been operating on the West Coast, police said.