Alleged ‘tap-in’ scammer advertised services on social media
Would you give a complete stranger your credit card in return for the promise of easy money? No, neither would we. But apparently well over a hundred people did. Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office arrested 24 year-old Janetcilize Martinez in Tampa, FL, for allegedly using willing participants’ bank accounts to commit fraud.
Police are calling this a ‘tap-in’ scam. It’s not uncommon, and it works like this:
- The scammer advertises for people who want to make fast, easy money by providing access to their bank account. The scammer often describes what they’re going to do, up to and including step four, and offers a cut of the proceeds.
- The participant (actually the victim) hands over their debit card or other access credentials.
- The scammer uses this access to deposit a fraudulent check into the participant’s account.
- The scammer then cashes out the money before the bank realizes that it’s a fraud.
- This is the step the scammer omits to tell the victim. The check bounces and the victim is on the hook for the stolen money.
Another term for what these ‘tap-in’ scammers are doing is a third-party version of check kiting. Check kiters write themselves bad checks from another bank account, depositing them, and then picking up the money.
Hundreds of people on TikTok and X did this last year after being told of an apparent “infinite money glitch” at Chase Bank, which wasn’t one at all. They were just taking advantage of the standard fund availability window to collect money on fraudulent checks.
Why check-kiting works (temporarily)
Check-kiting frauds like these depend on fast access to cash from deposited checks. By law, banks in the US have to make $275 of the deposited funds available within one business day, with the rest available within two business days.
Banks can only put a further hold on currency if the account is new, there’s a pattern of overdrawn activity, the check has been redeposited, there’s reasonable cause to believe that the funds aren’t collectible, or the check exceeds $6,725.
The obvious downside of check kiting
Ultimately, if you write yourself a fraudulent check, the bank will inevitably realize when the check doesn’t clear and will take the balance out of your account.
This is why those who thought they’d take advantage of the Chase ‘glitch’ ended up with a negative balance. In reality, they were using theft to give themselves an illegal loan. Doing so can result in you losing your account or even facing criminal charges.
Martinez, who someone reported to police anonymously, allegedly advertised these tap-in services on social media, posting pictures of cash and withdrawal receipts.
When detectives showed up at her residence with a warrant on July 29, they found 117 credit cards belonging to other people, tools for creating counterfeit credit cards, nearly $7,000 in cash, cannabis and associated paraphernalia, and a semi-automatic weapon.
She now faces the following charges:
- Possession of credit card making equipment
- Unlawful possession of personal identification of another (five or more)
- Fraudulent use of personal information
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
- Possession of cannabis (more than 20 grams)
- Possession of cannabis with intent to sell, manufacture, or deliver
Martinez has not yet been found guilty of this crime. She has been given bond release pending trial, but is being held without bond in another case, reporters for Fox 13 said.
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