NAMPA, Idaho — Nampa Police are asking people in the Treasure Valley to come forward if they have recently seen suspicious credit card charges, saying the reports may be tied to a larger fraud network that spans multiple states.
Investigators say the activity appears to involve stolen card information being used in stores through mobile payment systems. In some cases, they believe criminals may be using a method called "ghost tapping" that lets stolen card data be used without ever having the physical card, making the transactions harder to trace.
"Ghost tapping uses stolen credit card details in Apple Pay or Google Pay, then remotely relays the tap signal over the internet to a ‘mule’ at a store, allowing them to make high-value purchases that appear completely legitimate." - Nampa Police
Police say the suspected scheme began showing up locally in late January 2026 and has continued into recent weeks. Some people connected to the investigation have been arrested in Idaho, while others have been contacted but not charged at the time due to missing victim reports.
Investigators claim that forensic examination of the apprehended suspects' cellphones revealed connections to other crimes, such as "human trafficking, drug trafficking, large-scale fraud, money laundering, CSAM, and wildlife trafficking."
Retail employees in the region have helped document suspicious transactions, which investigators say have been key to building the case. Police also say evidence gathered from phones taken from suspects suggests possible links to other crimes, though they have not provided additional details.
Investigators say they are still trying to match fraudulent transactions to specific victims because many people are only reporting issues to their banks instead of law enforcement. They are asking anyone who had unauthorized charges during the time period—even if money was later refunded—to file a report with the police.
Local investigators say they have asked for help from federal partners but have not yet received assistance, which they say limits how far they can follow some leads.
Investigators are asking anyone who believes they may be affected to contact Nampa Police at 208-565-5144.
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