Scammers clone 50 ATM cards in Mumbai, loot Rs. 9L
In a major card cloning racket, about 50 Mumbai residents have been cheated of over Rs. 9.11L. An inter-state gang is suspected to have fitted skimming devices and cameras at an Axis Bank ATM on Charni Road (West) for more than one day. The scammers then copied the data, cloned cards and used them to fraudulently withdraw money from Gujarat and Haryana ATMs.
41 Government Printing Press employees discovered they had been duped
The first complainant was Narendra Bidra, an employee of the Government Printing Press. He lodged an FIR after losing Rs. 14,500 from his Axis account in an authorized transaction. The next day, he found out many other Government Printing Press employees had lost money similarly. At least 41 people came forward. Amounts stolen ranged from Rs. 10,000-40,000, but one lost Rs. 80,000.
The targeted ATM reportedly didn't have a security guard
Most complaints came from employees of Government Printing Press, which has an account with Axis and is located near the ATM. But police suspect other banks' customers were also cheated. Considering the number of victims, it is believed the skimming device was left there for more than a day. It is noteworthy that the Charni Road Axis ATM was allegedly unguarded.
Axis has "reversed the impact" for all cheated consumers
Police have registered a case against unknown persons for cheating, identity theft and other relevant sections of the IPC and IT Act as they wait for more victims to come forward. Meanwhile, Axis said they have "reversed the impact in all such customers' accounts."
