Police nab two accused who siphoned of lakhs through cloned cards

Two 26-year-olds who allegedly cloned debit and credit cards using stolen data from bars and restaurants in Mumbai, were arrested by the Samtanagar police recently.

The accused, Mohammed Raza Khan and Mohammed Asad Khan, who have allegedly been active for the couple of years in Mumbai and nearby cities, are believed to have siphoned of lakhs through these cloned cards.

The police seized a laptop, card writer machine, five ATM data card readers, a Wi-Fi router and three mobile phones during a raid on their house in Nalasopara.
The police also recovered 25 ATM cards of various banks under different names. They suspect that the accused used these cards to withdraw money from various ATM centres across the city.

The cops zeroed in on the accused after a case was registered at the Samtanagar police station in April this year. One complainant alleged that someone had withdrawn R 35,000 from his account using an ATM card despite his debit card being in his pocket at the time.

Following investigations and a tip off by an informer, the cops raided a house in Nalasopara area and caught the two accused. They later confessed to the crime. They are West Bengal natives and had rented a house here.

The police said the two had come to Mumbai in search of a better life, but on finding the going tough, they opted for this profession after coming in contact with an agent who used to sell debit/credit card data for cloning. Investigations revealed the agent gets the data from bartenders and waiters who they had provided card reader machines. They were paid huge commissions for card data. The cops are now looking for these bartenders and waiters.

How to protect yourself
Shake the machines: Skimmers usually come out easily so that they can be retrieved by scammers. This means that by shaking machines or terminals whenever you feel something amiss, is a good way to check if they have been tampered with.

Avoid entering a PIN: Opt to use a credit card over a debit card as they have greater protection. Cash is the best option in situations of doubt. Use phone transfers if possible: Newer forms of payment that allow transfer through phone numbers, use unique payment tokens, as opposed to data associated with your card, making them far more secure.

Also Read: Mumbai Crime: Three Nigerians Arrested With Cocaine Worth Over Rs 15 Lakhs

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