A 2019 arrest at the Michael Kors outlet in the Outlets at Traverse Mountain in Lehi involved a suspect caught with a handheld skimmer and multiple financial cards. According to a Utah County Sheriff’s Office probable-cause statement, the incident involved $1,939 in unauthorized purchases made using a victim’s credit card data.
Police stated that 27-year-old Ce Liang was found in possession of a handheld skimmer and 13 financial cards. Officers booked Liang into the Utah County Jail on suspicion of obtaining encoded information on a financial card and attempted pattern of unlawful activity, both of which are third-degree felonies.
Unlike skimmers that are bolted onto gas pumps, the device found in Liang’s jacket was a portable reader used to capture or encode card data. The arrest occurred after a victim reported unauthorized charges, leading investigators to pull store video and return to the outlet when an employee reported the suspect had returned to the store.
Card-data theft remains a recurring issue throughout the Wasatch Front. In previous years, Utah agencies investigated skimming crews at a Chevron in Orem and at an ATM in Spanish Fork. In North Salt Lake, police identified skimmers inside Flying J pumps that were capable of Bluetooth transmission of card data and PINs.
A major federal conspiracy involving gas-pump skimmers was recently concluded, resulting in the conviction of six defendants and over $200,000 in victim losses. The final defendant, Emmanuel Dejesus Nina-Perez of Salt Lake City, was sentenced in February 2024.
Law enforcement agencies, including the Salt Lake City Police, advise customers to inspect card readers for scratches, loose hardware, or mismatched colors. Recommended precautions include using tap-to-pay or chip instead of magnetic stripes, covering PIN entries, and monitoring accounts for unauthorized transactions.
Merchants are encouraged to use physical checks, such as security seals and dedicated cameras, to detect tampering. If a consumer suspects their card has been skimmed, they should contact their bank immediately to freeze the card and dispute any fraudulent charges.
