Identity Thefts on the Rise in Brecksville

Police: Use caution when buying items online, but also take a closer look at gas pumps and ATMs before using them.

Brecksville police officials say that reports of identity theft are on the rise in the city — and around Northeast Ohio — during the past few years. There are several ways residents have their identities stolen. Det. Dave Hetrick said that technology is partly to blame for the increase. High-tech thieves use high-tech “skimming devices” placed on gas pumps and ATMs, where private account information is stolen from the location.  “There are so many different ways (that identities are stolen),” Hetrick said. “It’s more than your usage. It’s a processing center getting hacked. Somebody could be in a parking lot grabbing these numbers. It’s more than being careful. There are so many ways that accounts can be compromised.”  Hetrick, who’s been …

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