ATM Fraud: Foreigners Identified as Romanian Nationals

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
A day after the ATM fraud in Thiruvananthapuram came to light, indications are that an international gang is behind the hi-tech theft. Police have released visuals of foreigners suspected to be behind the theft and identified them as Romanian nationals. Police collected the copy of passports from a hotel in Kovalam, where they stayed. ADGP B Sandhya said that the police have sought the assistance of Interpol to take the investigation forward. A police team led by IG Manoj Abraham has left for Mumbai in connection with the investigation.
SMS alerts received by some of the customers who lost their money had shown that the withdrawals were made from Mumbai. Advanced technology was used to siphon off large sums, more than Rs 2 lakh, from individual accounts. Although the theft reportedly occurred in SBI and SBT ATMs, the police have alerted all banks to conduct inspections, the police said.
People who used the ATM at Althara Junction at Vellayambalam at the city centre, were shocked to find varying amounts withdrawn from their accounts without their knowledge.It is suspected that the robbery was made after installing a particular electronic device at the ATM counter, enabling the fraudsters to collect the secret pin code and card details through it.
Many of the customers who were duped came to know about the fraud after they received a text message today, saying that money was withdrawn from their accounts.
Police have collected a device from the ATM counter, but it was too early to state if the money was withdrawn using it.