Sheriff warns of electronic pickpocket after Lake Wylie debit card fraud

York County Sheriff’s Deputies are investigating a possible credit card fraud in Lake Wylie.

A woman said a purchase of more than $55 at the Walmart on Highway 274 in Lake Wylie was added to her bank debit card without her knowledge, according to the sheriff’s office.

Through the investigation, deputies say on Aug. 15 while she was at the Walmart, a man behind her in line obtained the victim’s credit card information through a card scanner. The suspect then used the victim’s debit card information to purchase beer and other items.

Through a video, the suspect was identified Aug. 26. However, he came to the Moss Justice Center Aug. 27 and it was determined he is not associated with this crime or any other financial transaction fraud, the sheriff’s office said in a statement today.

Sheriff Bruce Bryant is warning the public to be aware of electronic pickpockets, who can steal credit/debit card data by walking by or standing near you with an electronic scanner or their mobile phones. These thieves then clone card information and use the information to steal money from an account.

Many financial institutions use RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) chips in debit cards for customers to use pay pass, pay wave or blink features.

Tips to avoid RFID theft:

▪  Contact the financial institution to ask about safeguards in place to protect your identity.

▪  Be aware of surroundings and suspicious people standing near you for a long period of a time.

▪  Using multiple RFID cards in a wallet or purse where transmissions can create a jumble of unintelligible information.

▪  Purchase secure card sleeves to shield RFID signals transmitted from cards.

This story was originally published August 26, 2015 at 3:09 PM with the headline "Sheriff warns of electronic pickpocket after Lake Wylie debit card fraud."