The members of Indiana-based rap group RACK Boyz and several other suspects have been charged in a bank fraud scheme using social media and viral videos to lure victims out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to authorities Wednesday.

Twenty-nine suspects were involved in an investigation, 19 of whom were arrested. Those arrested were charged in a variety of fraud cases in an alleged crime ring, with incidents dating back to 2011, according to a federal complaint. Several suspects were fugitives.

Private Facebook messages asked targets to give their bank cards' personal identification numbers for a cut of the rewards. "You don't know me but we can make some cash together," the messages read. The suspects would then use the bank account PINs in a card-cracking operation.

"Card-cracking," where the thieves deposit phony checks into third-party accounts and then withdraw cash from an ATM before banks have time to detect the bad checks, is a growing problem, according to U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon. The practice originated in Chicago's South Side, but has spread across the country.

"Before anybody ... is turning over your debit card and your PIN to somebody who is not your mom or dad, you ought to be taking a hard swallow, making sure you know exactly what you're doing," Fardon said.

A video posted online, allegedly by four members of the RACK Boyz, is titled "For the Money" and boasts about the profits from the bank fraud scheme and encourages others to participate, according to the complaint.

Another suspect, Kevin Ford of Chicago, works as a rapper under the name Bandman Kevo. He allegedly posted on Facebook that police and federal agents should be killed, "Like they will you!"

The 26-year-old's attorney, Scott L. King, said the videos and messages were bravado used by the rappers to bolster their hardcore image.

"They are not going to post videos of helping little old ladies across the street," King said.

The RACK Boyz are each facing one federal count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, punishable for up to five years in prison.