ATM skimming fraud: Cops narrow down suspect list

The probe team will also check footage from other ATMs in the city where similar cases of fraud have taken place in the past few months.

ATM, ATM fraud, ATM skimming fraud, ATM mumbai, mumbai ATM fraud, mumbai news, indian express THE BANDRA police, which is probing the ATM fraud case, in which a Union Bank of India ATM at Hill Road in Bandra was compromised leading to a series of unauthorised transactions, have narrowed down the list of suspects to a gang based out of north India. The gang has a history of committing frauds using a similar modus operandi, claimed police. While the investigating team has not been able to give the case their full attention on account of bandobast duty for the Ganesh festival, the team has some ‘strong leads’ in the case and are ‘100 per cent sure’ that they will be able to nab the accused within a few days.

Last Monday, Adrian Taites, a Bandra resident, lost Rs 40,000 from his bank account to a series of unauthorised transactions even though he had not given his debit card details to anyone. Soon after the fraud, when he went to Bandra police station, he found that several others, who like him had used the ATM at Bandra Hill Road, had lost money. Police subsequently registered an FIR and found that nearly 30 people had lost money in a similar manner.

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The probe team will also check footage from other ATMs in the city where similar cases of fraud have taken place in the past few months. While the CCTV camera at the ATM could not capture the faces of the accused as they were wearing a cap, police will call in CCTV footage from shops in the vicinity of the ATM to see if they can get a clearer view of their faces and find out if they came in a vehicle.

During the probe, police went through CCTV footage from the ATM and found that on seven days – September 1 & 2 and from September 9 to 13 – the accused would stick a skimmer and a hidden camera at the ATM in the afternoon and remove them at night. The skimmer would copy debit card details of those using the ATM and the camera would capture the PIN number using which the accused would transfer it to dummy cards and make a series of unauthorised transactions. The CCTV footage, however, did not capture the face of the two ‘fair-skinned bulky men’ as they were wearing caps.

An officer from Bandra police station who is probing the matter said that though they had initially suspected two people of being involved in the crime, a third suspect has emerged who had stationed himself outside the ATM. “The trio, who we suspect are members of a particular north Indian gang and have used a similar modus operandi in the past, was so swift that when they were attaching the skimmer on the ATM machine, another woman who was at the ATM kiosk using the second ATM machine could not make out what they were upto,” the officer said.

A bank official said that since the fraud, they have disabled the machine. The official, requesting anonymity, said, “That particular machine which was compromised was an old one. The other ATM machine is of a new make, which has features that guard it against skimming attempts. The only way to stop these frauds is to ensure that ATM machines are skimming proof.”

mohamed.thaver@expressindia.com

Mohamed Thaver

Mohamed Thaver is a highly specialized journalist with the Expertise and Authority required to report on complex law enforcement and legal issues. With a career dedicated to the crime beat for over a decade, his work provides readers with informed and trustworthy insights into Maharashtra's security and justice systems. Experience & Authority Core Focus: Has been exclusively covering the crime beat for over a decade, building deep, specialized knowledge in the field. Geographical Authority: Currently focuses heavily on law enforcement and policy in Maharashtra, providing authoritative coverage of the state's security apparatus. Key Beats: Law Enforcement: Reports on the operations of the Maharashtra Police and the Mumbai Crime Branch. Policy & Administration: Covers the Maharashtra Home Department, focusing on policy matters related to handling law and order and the evolution of the police force. Judiciary: Has significant past experience covering the courts, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the entire criminal justice process from investigation to verdict. Specialized Interest (Cyber & Forensics): Demonstrates Expertise in modern investigative techniques, with a keen focus on cyber crime and forensics, reporting on how these technologies assist complex crime investigations. Content Focus: His reports revolve around police probes, the evolution of the force, and state policy, ensuring his content is highly relevant and detailed. Credentials & Trustworthiness Mohamed Thaver’s long-standing specialization in the crime beat—combined with his focus on technological aspects like cyber crime and his direct coverage of major institutions like the Mumbai Crime Branch and the Maharashtra Home Department—underscores his Trustworthiness and status as an expert source for detailed and reliable journalism on law and order. He tweets @thaver_mohamed ... Read More

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