Louisiana

More Sophisticated Card Skimmer Devices Leading to More Thefts in Louisiana

Published

2 years ago

February 14, 2024

More Sophisticated Card Skimmer Devices Leading to More Thefts in Louisiana

Crowley, LA (KPEL News) – Skimmer thefts rose 368% from 2021 to 2022 nationwide, according to FICO. We expect that number to increase from 2022 to 2023 with crooks becoming more savvy. Louisiana news outlets have published dozens of reports about skimmers at ATM machines, gas pumps, big box stores, and even issues with EBT cards.

Louisiana law enforcement officials work diligently to not only find the people responsible for installing them, but also to identify the locations at which they were placed.

Skimmers are devices placed on credit or debit card machines that capture the information from the card being used. That stolen information is then used to make purchases.

Deputies with the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office have taken two of these alleged criminals off the street.

Sheriff KP Gibson says his team discovered a skimmer at an Acadia Parish business and was able to identify the suspects.

29-year-old Anned Enriquez Orozco of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and 40-year-old Garcia Ceballos Alberto of Miami Florida were both arrested and charged with Identity Theft. Orozco was also charged with Obstruction of Justice and Anti-Skimming Laws.

Sheriff Gibson explains that the devices fit over the card slot of the device and can be removed by pulling on it. Since these skimmers became a concern for consumers, we’ve all learned to “jiggle” the device at the gas pump before inserting our cards.

The problem is that skimmer have gotten more sophisticated and are more difficult to identify.

The videos below show a couple of the skimmers criminals are using and how to identify them.

Skimmers can be, essentially, face plates that are placed over the credit or debit card machine inside the store at the counter. Ever wonder how bad guys install them without anyone seeing them do it? Check this out.

The faceplate looks like this:

card skimmer

Facebook via Eunice Police Department

As a legendary commercial talent famously said, but wait! There’s more.

The video below shows and example of a gas pump skimmer on the card reader and how to spot it.

The skimming criminals have taken it a step further and now use devices to lay over the gas pump key pad. The video below is one circulating on social media, and nearly all states are seeing thieves use this method.

Law enforcement agencies around the country are using every opportunity they can to educate consumers about the ways in which scammers are stealing your card information, and those tricks go further than the external components of these point of sale machines. They can now gain access to the digital tape inside the machines, and the customer is completely oblivious because the nefarious gadgetry can’t be seen.

The videos and information are enough to make all of us want to use cash only, but that’s not practical in today’s world. Remember a few tips to lessen your chances of having your card information stolen:

If the card reader jiggles or feels loose, pay inside.
If the buttons on the keypad are not as responsive as they should be, pay inside.
If anything seems off about whatever card machine the business is using, pay cash or cancel the transaction.
Trust your gut.

10 States With The Fewest Credit Cards

In order to determine the states with the most credit cards, WalletHub compared the 50 states across two key dimensions: 1) Number of Cards and 2) Increase in Number of Credit Cards.

We evaluated those dimensions using 4 relevant metrics listed below with their corresponding weights, each metric being graded on a 100-point scale.

Gallery Credit: Kyle Matthews

Causes of Credit Card Debt

Credit Card debt in America sits at a record $986 billion. And 35% of American adults carry some kind of credit card balance. Developing good financial habits, such as budgeting, saving, and understanding credit card terms, can help prevent or manage credit card debt effectively. It’s important to note that each individual’s situation is unique, and a combination of these factors or other personal circumstances can contribute to credit card debt. Here are some of those factors

Gallery Credit: Dr. T

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Louisiana

State Treasurer John Fleming accuses Jeff Landry of interfering in Louisiana Senate race

Published

2 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

State Treasurer John Fleming accuses Jeff Landry of interfering in Louisiana Senate race

BATON ROUGE (KNOE) – Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming is accusing Governor Jeff Landry of interfering with the state Senate race, which Fleming is a part of.

Fleming took to social media to accuse Landry of working “behind the scenes” to get Congresswoman Julia Letlow elected to the Senate.

According to Fleming, Dr. Ralph Abraham offered him the position of Deputy Director of the CDC shortly before announcing he was stepping down. Fleming said he politely declined.

A week later, news broke that Abraham is now leading Letlow’s Senate campaign.

“We know that Jeff has been heavily lobbying the Trump campaign team for the endorsement, he is pressuring the Republican Party of Louisiana and the Republican Executive Committees to support and endorse Letlow as well,” Fleming wrote on Facebook. “And, he is personally calling his donors to raise big money to save the Letlow campaign.

Landry formally endorsed Letlow for the U.S. Senate on March 4. Letlow also has the endorsement of President Donald Trump.

“We need a warrior who stands with the President to Make America Great. And there’s no greater warrior than a Louisiana mom,” Landry wrote on Facebook.

Fleming continued his commentary, asking when Landry will stop interfering with the state’s Senate race.

“Who is best to decide who represents you in Washington? Jeff Landry, or YOU?” Fleming asked.

Also in the heated race is incumbent Bill Cassidy, M.D.

Party primary elections in Louisiana are set for May 16, 2026.

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Louisiana

Louisiana Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026

Published

14 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 3, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from March 3 drawing

07-21-53-54-62, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 3 drawing

6-8-3

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 3 drawing

3-6-7-4

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 3 drawing

0-8-3-2-0

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Louisiana Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Louisiana Lottery offices. Prizes of over $5,000 must be claimed at Lottery office.

By mail, follow these instructions:

Sign and complete the information on the back of your winning ticket, ensuring all barcodes are clearly visible (remove all scratch-off material from scratch-off tickets).
Photocopy the front and back of the ticket (except for Powerball and Mega Millions tickets, as photocopies are not accepted for these games).
Complete the Louisiana Lottery Prize Claim Form, including your telephone number and mailing address for prize check processing.
Photocopy your valid driver’s license or current picture identification.

Mail all of the above in a single envelope to:

Louisiana Lottery Headquarters

555 Laurel Street

Baton Rouge, LA 70801

To submit in person, visit Louisiana Lottery headquarters:

555 Laurel Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, (225) 297-2000.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Louisiana Lottery.

When are the Louisiana Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5: Daily at 9:59 p.m. CT.
Easy 5: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
Lotto: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Louisiana editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Louisiana

Brother of Louisiana mayor accused of raping 16-year-old has a hauntingly similar criminal past

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Brother of Louisiana mayor accused of raping 16-year-old has a hauntingly similar criminal past

The brother of Louisiana mayor Misty Roberts — accused of raping her son’s teenage friend — is facing child sex crimes of his own.

Brandon Lee Roberts, 39, was accused of raping a teen girl and assaulting a young woman over the course of several years, KALB reported.

Brandon Lee Roberts, 39, is accused of raping a teen girl and assaulting a young woman over the course of several years. Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office

The alleged sexual abuse began when one of the victims was as young as 13, according to Beauregard Parish Sheriff Mark Herford.

He was arrested in October.

Booking photo of Misty Clanton Roberts. — Brandon’s sister, Misty, the ex-mayor of DeRidder, Louisiana, allegedly raped her son’s teenage friend. AP

That comes years after his big sister – ex-mayor of DeRidder, 43-year-old Misty Roberts – allegedly got hot and heavy with her son’s 16-year-old friend at a drunken party at their home.

Roberts was allegedly caught in the tryst by her own kids.

She was arrested months later, and is currently on trial for rape charges.

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