Three men have been arrested in Dallas, Texas, for allegedly orchestrating a $14 million gift card fraud scheme that involved stealing and cloning hundreds of cards from retail stores across the state.
According to News4SanAntonio, the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center took Kristians Petrovikis, Romunds Cubrevics, and Nurmunds Ulevicus into custody after discovering more than 400 cloned gift cards in their possession.
How the Gift Card Cloning Scheme Worked
Authorities said that the suspects stole gift cards from multiple retail stores, carefully opened the packaging, and recorded the electronic numbers printed on the cards. They would then reseal the packaging and return the cards to the store racks as if they had not been handled.
The scam relied on unsuspecting customers who later purchased the compromised cards and loaded them with money — allowing the suspects to access the funds remotely before the buyers could spend them.
Investigators said the suspects admitted to stealing from up to 10 stores per day, carrying out the operation every week since May. The scheme involved a person buying the compromised cards and loading them with money so the men can check the card’s balance before the user could make purchases, investigators told the outlet
Suspects Confess to Months-Long Fraud Spree
According to officials, the suspects confessed to running the operation for several months, targeting major retail chains and grocery stores across the Dallas area. Their actions allegedly caused a combined loss of more than $14 million, affecting both retailers and consumers.
During the arrest, officers discovered hundreds of compromised cards, specialized tools, and devices used to track card balances. Two of the men are currently being held at the Dallas County Jail, while the third suspect remains in custody at a facility in Garland, Texas.
