Belmont – A 30-year-old Seattle man has been sentenced to three months in prison at the San Mateo County Jail for installing card skimmers and cameras in Belmont ATMs, prosecutors said.
Nicolae Diaconu did not file a felony charge of attempted identity theft on Wednesday, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office. Judge Sean Davell sentenced him to two years of supervised probation on the condition that he serve 90 days in prison.
On Dec. 30, Diaconu and an unidentified accomplice inserted a skimmer into a Bank of America ATM card slot on Ralston Street and installed a camera in an adjacent post, prosecutors said.
The skimmer was discovered by an ATM technician, removed, and reported to Belmont Police.
When installed in an ATM, POS terminal, or fuel pump, the skimmer captures the data The FBI also says it can’t record the cardholder’s personal identification number. Criminals use that data to create fake cards and steal from victims’ accounts. Skimming is estimated to cost financial institutions and consumers over $1 billion annually.
Prosecutors said officers were watching the ATM when Diaconu returned the next day to retrieve the camera and skimmer. When the police showed up, he tried to flee, but was caught and arrested.
The district attorney’s office said Diaconu is expected to finish his sentence on August 5.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/05/18/man-gets-90-days-in-jail-for-placing-skimmer-at-belmont-atm/ Man jailed for 90 days for installing skimmer at Belmont ATM