Fairfax County police have arrested Marko Puskas for allegedly running a credit card skimming operation along Richmond Highway.
MOUNT VERNON, Va. — Fairfax County police have arrested a man after they discovered a credit card skimming operation involving ATMs and other payment devices inside stores across the Richmond Highway corridor.
The operation was initiated after two skimming devices were discovered in the area in early September.
During an operation launched on Sept. 11, detectives found seven skimming devices, six of which were what they described as, advanced models equipped with miniature camera systems fitted inside ATMs.
According to Fairfax County police, whose financial crime unit partnered with the Secret Service during the operation, the “sophisticated devices” were capable of obtaining victims’ credit card data and pins.
The devices were found at these locations:
- Dollar Tree; 6711 Richmond Hwy
- 7-Eleve, 8226 Russell Rd, Woodlawn
- 7-Eleven, 5638 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy, Mount Vernon
- 7-Eleven, 5638 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy, Mount Vernon
- 7-Eleven, 2901 Arlington Dr, Groveton
- 7-Eleven, 3100 Lockheed Blvd, Groveton
- 7-Eleven, 2800 Beacon Hill Rd, Groveton
Police have arrested a suspect in connection with the investigation – 40-year-old Marko Puskas. According to Fairfax County police, the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office in Maryland was investigating a similar series of crimes.
Puskas was taken into custody in the 7100 block of Lee Highway in Falls Church.
Through their investigation, detectives identified Marko Puskas, 40, of no fixed address, as the suspect responsible for placing the skimming devices.
As the investigation continued, the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office in Maryland contacted our detectives regarding similar cases in their jurisdiction and assisted in determining that Puskas was in Fairfax County.
On October 2, detectives, with the assistance of our Violent Crime Suppression Unit, located Puskas in the 7100 block of Lee Highway in Falls Church and took him into custody.
They charged Puskas with:
- Identity theft
- Possession of fictitious identification
- Possession of burglarious tools
- Conspiracy to commit a felony
Puskas is being held without bond.
Police have offered the following tips for avoiding getting skimmed:
Inspect before you insert. Before using an ATM or gas pump, look closely at the card reader and keypad. If the card slot looks loose, bulky, or mismatched in color or material compared to the rest of the machine, it could be a skimmer.
Check for hidden cameras. Skimmers are often paired with tiny cameras aimed at capturing your PIN. Look for any unusual attachments, pinholes, or objects positioned near the keypad.
Do not accept assistance from anyone you don’t know while using an ATM or payment device. Scammers sometimes pose as helpful bystanders to distract you or capture your information.
Cover your PIN. Always use your hand to shield the keypad while entering your PIN, even if you don’t see anything suspicious.
Use familiar or well-lit locations. Whenever possible, use ATMs inside banks or high-traffic areas where criminals are less likely to install devices unnoticed.
Monitor your accounts regularly. Review your bank and credit card statements frequently for unauthorized transactions, even small ones, which can signal a compromised card.
Use contactless payment methods. Tap-to-pay cards or mobile wallets provide an extra layer of protection, as they don’t transmit your physical card data.
If you notice a skimming device in Fairfax County, call (703) 691-2131.