Nearby Sandy Springs: 7 Arrested in MARTA Card Hacking Scheme

By Hunt Archbold

The MARTA Police Departmentannounced Friday that it has arrested seven suspects as part of an ongoing investigation into the fraudulent sales of Breeze farecards.  

Computer hackers had bypassed Breeze card security features to make counterfeit cards. The personal information of legitimate Breeze farecard holders was not compromised according to MARTA officials.

MARTA Police Chief Wanda Dunham said the investigation has identified suspects who have since been charged with theft, fraud and violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). The suspects, all of whom reside in the metro Atlanta area, were booked at the DeKalb County Jail. 

“We take these crimes very seriously and will continue to investigate each and every case thoroughly,” Chief Dunham said in a release. “We are working closely with the DeKalb District Attorney’s office and will seek to ensure that those involved are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” 

More than 400 of the bogus Breeze Cards have been confiscated, but police say more could be out there. MARTA officials are still trying to determine how much the scheme cost the system.

A suspicious rider tipped off MARTA police after being offered on the street the opportunity to buy a $90 MARTA card for $40.