Brazen Gift-Card-Scamming Skimmers Nabbed with Fraudulent Booty
RANCHO CUCAMONGA – San Bernardino Sheriffs Department Deputies from Rancho Cucamonga PD made an immediate commercial burglary response on August 5th at 5:16 PM. Fraudulent gift cards used to purchase fuel at SC Fields gas station triggered an alert to the Fraud Prevention Unit.
Arriving deputies observed a silver Dodge truck with no front license plate, and conducted a CVC5200 traffic stop on the 9200 block of Charles Smith Avenue.
Also reported was the driver’s pumping nearly 300 gallons of fuel into a makeshift fuel container in the truck’s rear bed. Multiple prepaid fraudulent gift cards were used by two suspects to purchase the fuel.
The truck had marijuana pipes and marijuana in plain view during the deputy’s contact with the driver. Angel Alarcon (31) from Covina was found to be under the influence of a controlled substance.
Yonar Bello-Lopez (34) from Austin, TX provided deputies with a false name. This passenger was found to be on probation out of Texas with an active warrant.
A search of the truck revealed quite a bit of inventory – bolt cutters, marijuana, several prepaid Walmart and Visa cards, and a large black fuel container.
“Alarcon and Lopez used ‘Card Skimmers’ to steal employees and customers information from the SC Fuel pumps,” said Deputy M. Acuna. “SC Fuels can monitor the activity daily and can track every purchase. Alarcon and Lopez have defrauded several SC Fuel locations in southern California. A record check of the gift cards confirmed the account numbers scanned from the cards did not match the accounts numbers printed on the cards. Alarcon and Lopez were arrested and booked into the West Valley Detention Center for the above-mentioned charges.”
As there may be more victims, anyone with information regarding this investigation is urged to contact the Rancho Cucamonga PD. To remain anonymous, call We-tip Hotline 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or leave information at www.wetip.com.
