French tourist who stole $70,000 in a sophisticated ATM skimming scam is jailed
- 4 years ago
A French-Brazillian tourist who ran a sophisticated ATM skimming scam has been sentenced to jail with the court hearing he tried to run the scam again while on bail.
Douglas Da Silva Rangel, 32, fleeced ATM customers for $77,256.00 in the scam which police said has not be seen before in Australia.
After weeks of covert surveillance, detectives caught the Queensland resident red-handed trying to use fake ATM cards to withdraw cash.
The scam involved placing an ATM skimming device inside the card reader and then transferring the information onto blank cards.
This type of skimmer does not sit on top of the card reader, making it a lot harder to spot.
'It's also a lot more technical and a lot harder to do,' Detective Senior Constable Sarah Boniface told 9 News.
Small cameras were also placed on the ATMs to record customer's PIN numbers.
Detectives from Queensland's Financial and Cyber Crime Group said the man was capable of installing the device in as little as 40 seconds.
Detectives said the man was working alone rather than as part of a criminal gang.
When police raided his Spring Hill home in July, they said they found $22,100 in cash, five ATM deep skimming devices, two false ATM ceiling panels with cameras as well as blank iTunes cards and gift cards.
In court, the man claimed he had committed the offences to support his son and ex-girlfriend with a brain injury who were living overseas.
The court also heard he purchased a luxury BMW with the stolen cash.
After being arrested and granted bail Da Silva Rangel tried the scam again and was re-arrested.
On Wednesday he was sentenced to 3.5 years but will be eligible for parole in in June after already serving seven months.
'You weren't someone's lowly soldier receiving orders... you were organising it (the scheme) which, in my view, makes it more serious,' Judge Julie Ryrie said, reports The Courier Mail.
Douglas Da Silva Rangel, 32, fleeced ATM customers for $77,256.00 in the scam which police said has not be seen before in Australia.
After weeks of covert surveillance, detectives caught the Queensland resident red-handed trying to use fake ATM cards to withdraw cash.
The scam involved placing an ATM skimming device inside the card reader and then transferring the information onto blank cards.
This type of skimmer does not sit on top of the card reader, making it a lot harder to spot.
'It's also a lot more technical and a lot harder to do,' Detective Senior Constable Sarah Boniface told 9 News.
Small cameras were also placed on the ATMs to record customer's PIN numbers.
Detectives from Queensland's Financial and Cyber Crime Group said the man was capable of installing the device in as little as 40 seconds.
Detectives said the man was working alone rather than as part of a criminal gang.
When police raided his Spring Hill home in July, they said they found $22,100 in cash, five ATM deep skimming devices, two false ATM ceiling panels with cameras as well as blank iTunes cards and gift cards.
In court, the man claimed he had committed the offences to support his son and ex-girlfriend with a brain injury who were living overseas.
The court also heard he purchased a luxury BMW with the stolen cash.
After being arrested and granted bail Da Silva Rangel tried the scam again and was re-arrested.
On Wednesday he was sentenced to 3.5 years but will be eligible for parole in in June after already serving seven months.
'You weren't someone's lowly soldier receiving orders... you were organising it (the scheme) which, in my view, makes it more serious,' Judge Julie Ryrie said, reports The Courier Mail.