Quincy Man Convicted Of Credit Card Skimming

BOSTON – A Quincy man was convicted today of credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with his use of stolen credit card numbers to purchase more than $64,000 in cigarettes and other items.

Yek Doug Wong, 50, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge George A. O’Toole to using counterfeit access devices, possession of device-making equipment, and six counts of aggravated identity theft. For the charge of using counterfeit access devices, the statutory maximum penalty is 10 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine; for the charge of possession of device-making equipment, the statutory maximum penalty is 15 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and $250,000 fine; for the charges of aggravated identity theft, the statute mandates two years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for July 16, 2013.

In October 2011, the Braintree, Brockton and Holbrook Police Departments received reports from numerous people who identified fraudulent activity on their credit card accounts, even though all of the victims still possessed their actual cards. Law enforcement collected surveillance video from many of the locations where the purchases had been made as well as receipts from suspect transactions. The surveillance videos showed a man, later identified as Wong, making the purchases and then driving off. Ultimately, one clerk noted the license plate of the car which led to Wong and a search of his residence. The search resulted in the seizure of, among other things, more than 1,170 embossed and blank Visa, MasterCard and American Express cards, three credit card skimming devices, a card reader and encoding device, two credit card embossing machines, various pieces of computer equipment, 42 cartons of cigarettes, 22 bottles of rice wine, and $16,900 in cash. Officers also seized two safe deposit box keys which led to the seizure of an additional $4,250 in cash.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Steven D. Ricciardi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service; Chief Russell W. Jenkins of the Braintree Police Department; Chief Emanuel Gomes of the Brockton Police Department; Chief William D. Marbel, Jr. of the Holbrook Police Department; and Chief Paul Keenan of the Quincy Police Department, made the announcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra S. Bower of Ortiz’s Economic Crimes Unit.