Sec 36 resident duped of Rs 80K in ATM fraud

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 26

A Sector 36 resident lost Rs 80,000 after unknown person exchanged his ATM card and withdrew the money from his account.

The police said the victim, Santosh Kumar, had gone to an SBI ATM in Sector 35 here to deposit Rs 8,000. Cops said while the victim was using the ATM, a person was standing behind him who reportedly saw his ATM card personal identification number (PIN). “The victim was leaving the ATM booth when the accused called him back and said the machine has stopped functioning,” the police said.

The miscreant then asked the victim to try using his card. “The accused then took the victim’s card and exchanged it with another ATM card. The victim left the place thereafter without realising that his ATM card has been exchanged,” the police said.

The victim later found that Rs 20,000 was withdrawn twice from his account while Rs 40,000 was transferred to some other bank account.

The police were informed about the incident.

A case under Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against unknown person at the Sector 36 police station.

The trick

• The victim, Santosh Kumar, was using an ATM when a person standing behind him saw his personal identification number. The victim was leaving the ATM booth when the trickster called him back and said the machine has stopped functioning. 
• The miscreant then asked the victim to try using his card. The accused then took the victim’s card and exchanged it with another ATM card. The victim left the place thereafter without realising that his ATM card has been exchanged.
• He later found that Rs 20,000 was withdrawn twice from his account while Rs 40,000 was transferred to some other bank account.