PANJIM: After a lull of over a month, the ATM card schemers have struck again, bringing the total number of cases to three in 45 days. The ATM centre at Siolim was the target wherein around four customers, supposedly staff of ICICI bank came forward complaining to the bank of being duped of a huge amount. It is learnt that they used the Corporation Bank ATM, which had been hacked.
The Cyber Crime Cell is, however, awaiting a formal complaint from the bank manager to launch an investigation. “Prima facie, the case appears to be similar to those reported in Panjim and Porvorim. We are waiting for a complaint to register an offence and initiate inquiry,” an officer said.
Exactly a month ago, the investigation sleuths had released videos of two foreign nationals who were caught on CCTV cameras mounting a card skimmer device on the ATMs. But since then there has not been any breakthrough.
“These devices fitted on the ATM have micro cameras to steal information like PIN from the victims. The criminals generate a fake card or use other methods to fraudulently transact cash from different ATMs,” the officer said suspecting the withdrawals could be made in London and Bulgaria.
Goa Police have already cautioned ATM card users to be wary of card schemers at the time of carrying out transactions at ATMs. “Inspect the machine, cover the number pad with your free hand while entering your PIN, check for cameras around you to ensure your card-related information is not being recorded,” the advisory states.
In the previous two cases, 23 ATM card holders had been cheated of over Rs 7.07 lakh at another ICICI Bank ATM at Porvorim while around 39 bank customers, who had earlier carried out transactions from Dena Bank’s ATM in Panjim, were cheated of Rs 6.51 lakh approximately.
