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'Shoulder surfing' thefts land couple in hot water

'Shoulder surfing' thefts land couple in hot water

A former Cranberry couple likely are headed to federal prison after pleading guilty Friday in a "shoulder surfing" scheme in which they used a cell phone camera to record customers' Social Security numbers at Walmart check-cashing counters across the country.

Jennifer MacVittie, 32, and her husband, Robert, 35, pleaded to conspiracy and aggravated identity theft before U.S. District Judge Joy Flowers Conti, who set sentencing for January.

U.S. postal inspectors who investigated the case said the couple traveled the country to steal identification at Walmarts, forged checks and then negotiated them at other Walmarts.

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They took advantage of Walmart's check-cashing program. Customers sign up with the company for check-cashing privileges and enter their Social Security numbers on a keypad.

As shown in Walmart security videos, Jennifer MacVittie typically stood near a customer and off to one side as the person entered the number and secretly zoomed in on it with her cell phone to record it in what security experts call "shoulder surfing."

Robert MacVittie then used the numbers to create counterfeit checks made payable to him using fake company names as the payer.

After negotiating the checks, the couple bought pre-paid store cards and merchandise at other Walmarts.

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The U.S. attorney's office said they presented counterfeit checks at three Walmarts in the Pittsburgh region and others in Florida, Texas, Mississippi, West Virginia, Alabama and elsewhere.

They were arrested last year at a Las Vegas casino.

First Published: September 26, 2015, 4:00 a.m.

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