A 34-year-old man from Tampa, Florida, was sentenced Wednesday to five years and ten months in federal prison after being found guilty of aggravated identity theft.
Ricardo Martinez pleaded guilty at the end of July and was ordered to return the money to those who were defrauded.
Credit and debit card fraud is now a reality, and more and more fraudsters are targeting the interception of payment data in order to create counterfeit cards.
Considering the frequency of data breaches in recent years, the price for card data has dropped significantly. In addition, cybercriminals have created a platform for conducting automated transactions that mimic human behavior.
Martinez was directly involved in stealing credit card numbers, which were used in various purchases that were then exchanged for cash. Related documents show that Martinez purchased gift cards, which are as effective as money.
Additionally, Martinez used cloned cards to get cash advances from the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa.
He did not act alone, but there is no information about his accomplices. There is also no evidence of the financial damage caused by Martinez and his accomplices.
The US Secret Service collaborated with multiple agencies to capture the fraudster.
