On the Job 

The Cyber Crimes Unit of the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) is helping law enforcement agencies investigate crimes involving credit-card skimmers.

Computer forensic specialists at BCI are using new technology to extract data from skimmers — devices planted by thieves on the card-swipe mechanisms of ATMs or gas pumps to steal credit card information during transactions.

Once a victim’s credit-card information is stolen, thieves will either create a cloned credit card to make purchases in stores, use the account to make purchases online, or sell the information.

The technology that is now in use at BCI allows agents to pull data from the skimmers to aid local law enforcement in identifying the victims, who may be unaware that their accounts have been compromised, and the suspects.

For more information on how BCI can assist in skimmer cases, call 855-BCI-OHIO (855-224-6446).