The 27-year-old man was charged with stealing thousands of dollars in public support benefits in California using a fraudulent electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card at Lancaster ATM.
The suspect, Ioannis Alecsopoulos, was arrested on February 1st during an undercover investigation. Authorities allege that Alecsopoulos had withdrawn more than $4,000 and attempted to withdraw more than $13,000 using nine different EBT cards. Investigators say he used an e-skimming device to steal EBT account information, which allowed funds to be accessed unauthorizedly.
During the arrest, law enforcement recovered multiple tools related to the EBT skimming operation, including nine skimming devices, 94 re-encoded gift cards and eight pinhole cameras, according to authorities.
Alexopoulos was arrested on February 4th, and his bail was $500,000. He is charged with 10 count felony identity theft, three counts of grand theft and misdemeanor of obstructing a law enforcement officer. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in state prisons.
It was not immediately clear whether he was a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.
The case highlights the California issue, according to the California Department of Human Services.
“Our office will remain vigilant and prosecuted these cases, and hold criminals fully accountable for their criminal conduct,” Hochman said. “We are also working closely with the victims and the LA County Department of Public Social Welfare to return the stolen benefits.
“EBT theft strips vulnerable individuals of the public interest that they are legally entitled to. In addition to directly stealing serious financial support from children, families and seniors, public support fraud steals from taxpayers.”
Authorities are urging EBT card holders to stay vigilant about scams, including text messages, emails, card skimming, and fraudulent websites. Officials warn that neither the county nor the state will require a card number or PIN. To minimize risk, EBT users are recommended to update their PINs each month.
Check out this CDSS video for more information on how to protect against EBT scams.
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