Mumbai Crime: Large network who launder money from foreigners' ATM cards busted

On Thursday, Mumbai crime branch busted a larger network who would rob foreign nationals of their ATM card details. The group would use those details on blank ATM cards and then transfer money from their foreign bank accounts to their Indian banks.

The Mumbai crime branch arrested five persons identified as Mohamed Hasan Eqbal Shaikh, 44, Mukesh Raju Sharma, 40, Zuber Nissar Sayed, 35, Fahim Bashir Shora, Jammu Kashmir resident and Abu baker Mahamedsaab Sheikh Ghanvilkar, 45.

The Police also recovered 65 fake credit/ debit cards, 51 swiping machines and cheque books from various Indian bank accounts. According to the police, the gang has been operating since 2013 and since then have cheated over 2000 foreign nationals and NRIs. Police also suspect that these accused have earned over 40 crores in rupees.

Targets were foreign tourists place
Dilip Sawant, DCP crime branch, told Mid-Day," The accused first steal foreigners' ATM details and then make fake ATM cards. Shopkeepers then help the accused to swipe out money from the cards for which they are given a commission."

Police also found out through investigation that the accused were active in Mumbai, Kullu, Manali, Goa, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Himachal Pradesh, Ludhiana and Chandigarh. Money from these foreigners' accounts would be deducted after the accused swiping fake cards on the shopkeeper's machine and into his account. After the shopkeepers withdrew the amount, the money would be handed over to the culprits and the former would get a 30 percent commission. The accused would operate in locations that were holiday spots for various foreign nationals.

The accused after they were arrested. Pic/mid-day

Case cracked on human intelligence
Since 2013, the case did not come to light to the police and this helped the gang to operate smoothly. After the crime branch identified that such a gang exists, 5 teams worked on the case and cracked it in 20 days.

Cops also arrested a shopkeeper who provided his swiping machine for the culprits to use. Other shop owners would hand over their respective cheque books. After the transaction would be complete, they would withdraw the cash from their account.

Per card and Three swipe only
During interrogation, the crime branch found out that a single card could be used only 3 times. With the help of portable swipe machines, the accused kept a tab on the closing time of banks before they would swipe the card. This would give them a second and third attempt at it since on some occasions, the customer would block his card after a single transaction.

The crime branch also found out that there were more than 50 bank accounts used by the accused and more than 30 shopkeepers who helped them with swipe machines.

However, the Defence Advocate Ajay Dube stated to Mid-Day," No one in India has filed such complaints. These are false statements by the police and my clients are wrongly accused in this case."

The culprits were present before the court and will be in police custody till 26th June.

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