3 Fla. men charged in alleged credit card skimming operation

ALBION — Three Florida men were arrested on Tuesday and accused of skimming unsuspecting people’s credit cards in order to fraudulently use the accounts.

According to New York State Police, Yordani Ramirez-Salgado, 27 of Miami, Fla., Ernesto Alvarez-Santos, 20 of Hialeah, Fla. and Abel Garcia-Fernandez, 31 of Hialeah, Fla. were attempting to use fraudulent gift cards at Walmart around 2 p.m. Tuesday. 

When Troopers and BCI investigators approached Ramirez-Salgado he attempted to flee and resisted arrest.  Ramirez-Salgado was transported to SP Albion for processing.  The other suspects fled the scene in a red Nissan Versa which was given out by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO).  This vehicle was later located by an off duty OCSO dispatcher traveling on State Route 98.  With the assistance of an OCS Deputy that vehicle was stopped and Garcia-Fernandez, Alvarez-Santos where detained and transported to SP Albion.

All three were charged with second-degree forgery, second-degree possession of a forged instrument, fourth-degree grand larceny, first-degree scheme to defraud, fifth-degree conspiracy and resisting arrest. They were remanded to Orleans County Jail on $100,000 bail.

Police say the three suspects traveled from Florida to New York for the purpose of obtaining credit card information. These three suspects are believed to be a smaller part of a larger group of suspects who are using devices and the internet to obtain credit card information. 

The NYSP is working with the Secret Service, Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, OCSO, Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement agencies in the area. 

At this time it is possible that hundreds of credit card information has been taken. This is still an ongoing criminal investigation.

Police ask any victims of credit card fraud to contact their County Dispatch non-emergency number: