Mumbai man’s chip card cloned, ₹2.10 lakh withdrawn from Bihar ATMs

In a second case of chip card cloning reported this month, the Govandi police have registered a first information report (FIR) against unidentified cyber criminals after a 25-yearold was cheated of ₹2.10 lakh.

The accused withdrew the amount from the complainant’s saving account from four different ATMs across Bihar.

The crime has been filed as yet another case of card cloning, through what is popularly known as the “shimming method.”

According to the Govandi police, Vijay Morya has an account at the Chembur branch in a cooperative bank. Last month, a bank official visited Morya and inquired whether he had made any big transactions. Morya, at the time, denied having done so. However, the next day, when he went to withdraw money, he learnt that his card had been blocked.

Upon inquiring with the bank, he was told that ₹2.10 lakh had been withdrawn from his bank account. He then submitted a written complaint to the police and an FIR was lodged for cheating, forgery and impersonation under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and Information Technology act.

”The money has been withdrawn from four different ATMs in Bihar. As the debit card of the victim was with him, we suspect his data was stolen and a cloned card was used to withdraw the money,” said a police officer.

“We suspect that the accused may have used his debit card for shopping at a mall or eatery, where his card got cloned. Cyber criminals often rig ATMs by attaching a skimmer and a micro-camera to steal card details. As of now we are trying to ascertain the location from where the data got leaked, along with help from the bank,” he said.

“The bank has still not returned my money. They are probing the case. I have written to RBI as well,” said Morya.