Massive Card Skimming And Fraud Suspect Caught!

Thanks to hard police work, tips and effort, the man responsible for the biggest card skimming and fraud activity so far this year in our area is behind bars.

Richland police are reporting Shawn R. Bailey, 45, of Mountlake Terrace, WA was busted leaving a store in Richland on Wednesday.

For some time, pictures of Bailey had been circulated on social media around the area. Bailey is believed to have used a card skimmer to steal people's ID, then stamp fake credit cards using their identity. Where he used the skimmer is not yet known.

He then used the cards to buy large amounts of Walmart gift cards, among other items. Police had been chasing him, and he's thought to be linked to fraud in Hermiston and Yakima as well. It's so far reaching, police are telling people to check their bank and card activity over the last couple of weeks, just to be safe.

Police described him as pretty slick, this was the most sophisticated skimming scheme we've seen so far this year.  Card skimming involves using various electronic devices, including 'fake' skimmers that fit over card swiping devices on gas pumps etc. They 'steal' your personal ID and PIN and more, then that data can be used to stamp fraudulent credit or debit cards, but they have YOUR ID.