Waiters at Top NYC Steakhouses in Identity Theft Ring

More than two dozen current and former waiters and their associates from some of New York City top steakhouses have been arrested in an alleged identity theft ring, accused of stealing credit card numbers from wealthy customers, NBC New York reported November 18. Several suspects are from top city restaurants like Smith and Wollensky, Capital Grille and Wolfgang Steak, as well as Mortons in Stamford, Connecticut and the Bicycle Club in New Jersey, sources said. The alleged scam targeted customers who often paid with American Express Black cards and other high-limit credit cards, according to sources. Law enforcement sources said some restaurant workers used handheld scanners to copy the credit card information as they walked away to process the bill. Later, that information would be sent to leaders of the alleged fraud ring, who would forge new credit cards with the stolen information and test them out on taxis. If the cards worked, the suspects would go on major shopping sprees, buying up expensive goods like Chanel goods and Jimmy Choo shoes. The thieves would then re-sell the luxury brand items for cash. Officials estimate profits totaled at least $1 million, sources said.