Unique modus operandi in ATM theft cases leaves cops puzzled

 

 

 

Two fraud and theft cases at State Bank of India’s ATMs are posing a tough challenge to city police for the unique modus operandi of the fraudsters. None of such cases was reported in the past. In the first incident, two fraudsters withdrew Rs 2.30 lakh by stealthily procured ATM card of Bank Manager. The fraudsters made 23 transactions from SBI’s ATM near VNIT in Bajaj Nagar area on June 14, but the transactions were not registered in the banking system. In second incident, Rs 10,000 were withdrawn from SBI’s ATM in Lakadganj area the same day.

 

The bank system registered the entry as ‘transaction failed’, but the cash was dispensed from the machine. Both the incidents reveal the fact that the fraudsters are technically sound and their unique modus operandi is leaving the police clueless. On the basis of a complaint lodged by SBI’s Manager Rambhau Taktewale (49), the Bajaj Nagar Police registered a case under provisions of the Indian Penal Code. Another case was registered by Lakadganj police. While investigating the case, the police realised that these were not the regular fraud cases.

 

The criminals committed the crime after proper study and planning. The police have procured CCTV footage from both crime scenes. In Bajaj Nagar case, two persons were seen withdrawing cash from ATM, while a man was seen at an ATM in Lakadganj case. In the Bajaj Nagar case, the accused had used a Debit card of IDFC bank registered at Faridabad in Haryana. After inserting a Debit card in the ATM, the machine had dispensed the cash and it was taken away by the fraudsters 23 times. However, the ATM software registered ‘transaction failed’. As a result, the cash was drained from the ATM but it was not registered in the bank account of the accused. The same technique was repeated in the Lakadganj case. But cops are yet to find whether the fraudsters used a Debit card of IDFC or HDFC. Additional Commissioner of Police (Addl CP) Crime Sunil Phulari informed ‘The Hitavada’ that the fraudsters have used unique modus operandi to commit crime. “Cops are in touch with the technical team of the SBI and the company which is managing the ATMs,” he said. However, both the technical teams are clueless as they are yet to identify the modus operandi adopted by the criminals. 

 

ATM switch compromised? Sources claimed that it seems that the banking software switch was compromised in this case. In ATM transactions, a customer inserts his Debit card and enters his pin, once his card details are validated by the ATM switch then he/she can do the transaction. During this process - first the bank account is debited by the amount, then the message goes to switch which reduces the switch balance and sends a message to the ATM to dispense cash. If cash is dispensed successfully, it sends a message to ATM switch that transaction is completed successfully. Sources are assuming that the switch software of IDFC bank was compromised by the accused due to which the message of cash dispensed from the ATM was not registered with the IDFC account of the fraudsters and SBI. But the question -- Why the fraudsters have used only SBI’s ATM to commit the crime? Still remains a mystery.