CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) — A Massachusetts man is facing felony charges for allegedly installing skimming devices on ATMs at local credit unions.

Ivan Gomez Liriano, 33, of West Springfield, was arrested following a weekslong investigation by Cranston detectives and federal investigators, according to Cranston police.

Police allege Gomez Liriano is behind a “sophisticated ATM skimming operation targeting area credit unions,” including two branches in Cranston. The devices he’s accused of planting capture people’s debit and credit card information when they use an affected ATM.

The crimes were first reported on March 6, according to police, and Gomez Liriano was arrested March 29. Police said they used their FLOCK camera system to locate the suspect and track his movements.

Gomez Liriano was arraigned Wednesday on two counts each of access to computer for fraudulent purposes, conspiracy, and intentional access, alteration, damage or destruction of a computer. Court records show his bail was set at $5,000 surety and he’s due back in court in July.

In addition to ATMs, skimming devices can be affixed to gas pumps and other places where cards are used. Since they can be hard to spot, police say to follow the “SCAN” checklist:

• S: Scan the area for hidden cameras that may record you typing your PIN. These may be mounted near the keypad, so always cover your hand while you type in a PIN.
• C: Compare the card reader and keypad to the rest of the machine. The colors and styles should all match, and graphics should be aligned and un-obscured.
• A: Assess for obvious signs of tampering. Broken or dented panels may be visible or security seals may be broken.
• N: Nudge the card reader and keypad. Card skimmers and fake keypads are meant to be removed, so if they feel loose, you may have spotted a skimmer.

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Daily Roundup

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com.