Cloning device at ATM? 50 cheated, bank goes to cops

GURUGRAM: At least 50 people have lost money, which will add up to lakhs of rupees, after swiping their debit cards at a tampered HDFC Bank ATM at Unitech Cyber Park in Sector 45 in Gurugram.
HDFC Bank filed an FIR on the matter with the cyber cell of Gurugram police on Wednesday.

On May 1, these people received SMS alerts of money being withdrawn from their accounts, without their permission.

Police suspect that the fraudsters installed some device in the ATM to collect the data of people who swiped their debit cards.

The bank said that they received multiple complaints from customers, alleging that amounts were being withdrawn from their accounts without their knowledge or authorisation. However, the ATM cards were in the possession of the customers when the fraudulent withdrawals were being made.

"The amounts were reported to be withdrawn using details of the customers' debit cards," said the bank.

The bank further said that after analysis of the customers' complaints, a common observation was noted - all of them had withdrawn money from the ATM at the Sector 45 branch of the bank some time in the recent past. "Prima facie, we suspect that the customers' card data might have been compromised at the ATM on April 29, 26, 23, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 8 & 6 and March 23, 12," said the complaint.

The bank said that it was in the process of retrieving the CCTV footage from its office which would also be handed over to police for checking if any suspicious activity had taken place there. According to the bank's complaint, a majority of the affected customers have also filed police complaints for the unauthorised withdrawals.

The bank also claimed that it was crediting the disputed amount to all the affected customers' accounts after necessary validation.

"A case under Section 379 (theft) has been registered," said a police officer working with the cyber cell of Gurugram police.