Gang swindles ₹13L using fake ATM cards, swipe machines; 3 members in cop net

Jaipur: A swipe machine and 142 ATM cards of 34 different banks were recovered from three members of an inter-state gang that swindled nearly Rs 13 lakh by swapping debit cards with fake ones.
SHO (Bagru) Vikram Singh Charan said that police arrested Taufiq Khan (33), Saddam Hussain (29), and Sohel Khan (22), all residents of Nuh district in Haryana.
Charan said that the gang was involved in 26 ATM frauds in different cities including Gwalior, Ajmer, Jaipur, Dausa and Bharatpur.
The Bagru police said the accused targeted ATMs located in outer areas, especially alongside national highways. “They would prey on customers with little understanding of withdrawing money from ATMs and getting access to their PINs. The accused swapped debit cards on the pretext of helping customers struggling to withdraw money. After withdrawing money from the original card, the accused used the swipe machine to steal whatever amount was left in the balance,” Charan said.
The police said that the accused had a long criminal record. “Taufiq has 10 cases against him at different police stations in Jaipur, Bhiwadi, and Nuh. Whereas Hussian has been involved in three cases of similar cheatings and frauds,” Charan said.
He said that the police have also recovered a car used by the accused in ATM fraud.
The police in March earlier this year busted a similar gang and arrested two accused.
The police said that such frauds can be averted if the guard and user ensured that only one person enter the kiosk at a time. tnn