Fears of card cloning at garage

Saturday 28th October 2006, 6:22PM BST.

Three people have already been arrested and released on bail following a swoop on the garage run by Snax 24.

And concerns grew after it emerged today that further arrests would be made in connection with the inquiry.

A police probe was launched after numerous complaints about alleged credit card fraud at the BP station in Dudley Road, Kingswinford.

There are fears that a device may have been attached to the HSBC hole in the wall cash machine.

The officer leading the investigation inspector Mark Wilson said more arrests would follow.

During the swoop he said officers recovered articles of interest that were being examined and confirmed the ATM machine may have been tampered with.

“We are liaising with various banks and other financial institutions and further arrests will be made, ” said insp Wilson. “At the moment the investigation is centred on the BP petrol station but we are keeping an open mind.

“We are making enquiries with the operators of the ATM .

“I am asking the public to be very vigilant when using ATM machines and using credit cards at outlets. They should be aware of pin hole cameras and place their hand over the machine.”

Snax 24 managing director Bill Ahearne said: “We understand that the police have a job to do but my staff were very distressed and the site manager who has worked for us for eight years was very traumatised.”

Already people who say they have fallen victim to the alleged credit card fraud have contacted the Express & Star. Charles Wright who earlier this year was caught out by the card cloning scam at the Total Garage in Gawne Lane Netherton said: “We were told that chip and pin would be more secure but this makes a joke of it.”

l Do you fear you have been a victim of a card fraud? Contact our reporters on 01384 355355.

By Heather Loat



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