The Surete du Quebec says it has busted a fraud operation that cloned bank cards at stores and ATMs.
It's a problem that's getting worse: In the past year, more than 1,300 people in Quebec have been targeted, with thieves getting away with more than $1.5 million.
Marc Butz of the SQ says the thieves were ingenious in getting access to the cards.
Butz said that one of them would be in the store and would look over a person's shoulder as they punched in the debit card PIN, then would be approached by several people as they left the store.
"They were looking over you to memorize your pin number and after that when you went out of the centre or the store, a couple of them came and see you with a map to distract you, ask you information, direction and one of them go to steal in your pocket or purse your card, clone it," said Butz.
After pickpocketing the card, the thieves allegedly ran it through a magnetic swiper, then replaced it.
Six suspects appeared in court Thursday to face a variety of charges.
