'Card cracking' scheme: Milwaukee man accused, already in prison

Man charged in 'card cracking' scheme

A Milwaukee man is now accused of scamming people and banks out of tens of thousands of dollars in what investigators call a "card cracking" scheme.

MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee man, already serving prison time for a fatal crash, is now accused of scamming people and banks out of tens of thousands of dollars before that crash even happened.

In Court:

Prosecutors said 27-year-old Jaquon Benson used fraudulent checks to take cash out of multiple ATMs in a scheme known as "card cracking." He is charged with six felonies. 

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‘Card cracking’ scheme

The backstory:

Court filings said Benson was caught on camera at ATMs across the Milwaukee metropolitan area, cashing out what investigators said were fraudulent checks.

According to a criminal complaint, Benson was the ringleader in a scheme that spanned several months in 2023. Here's how investigators said it worked.

ATM surveillance image of Jaquon Benson (Courtesy: MCDAO)

First, someone needs a check or bank information. Benson is accused of recruiting a friend to steal checks from USPS drop boxes. The stolen checks would then be modified, sometimes to the tune of thousands of dollars.

Next, prosecutors said Benson took to social media to recruit people to use their bank accounts or to open up new accounts. Investigators said, after depositing the fraudulent checks into those accounts, Benson would pull up to the ATM to withdraw – or attempt to withdraw – the money he had just deposited.

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Multiple banks were targeted to the tune of more than $116,000. Court filings said the victims ranged from people to business – to even the "Milwaukee County Office of the Sheriff." But not all that money was pocketed.

The complaint said many banks had security measures in place to stop potential fraud before it happened. Still, Benson is accused of cashing out close to $61,000.

Social media image included in criminal complaint filed against Jaquon Benson (Courtesy: MCDAO)

Fatal crash | May 2024

Dig deeper:

Benson was caught driving a stolen car in May 2024. When officers tried to stop him, he took off and crashed into a van at 27th and Locust – killing a 41-year-old man. He was sentenced to more than a decade in prison.