ATM fraud case: Probe reveals cloning of cards used to take place in a neighbouring country

MP | Kolkata: In a major revelation in connection with the ATM fraud case, the city police has come to know that the cloning of debit cards used to take place in a neighbouring country. 

The cloning of cards was done using details stolen from debit cards in Kolkata. The police have come to know about the information after the arrest of Adre Liviu and Cornel Constantine from Indore on Thursday. 

It has come to light that members of the Romanian gang used to install skimming machines in ATM counters in Kolkata. They used to remove the skimming machine after it had read details of some cards swiped at the ATM counter for any transaction.

They extracted the stored data from the skimming machines and sent the same to their counterparts in the neighbouring country to prepare the clone cards. It took them around two to two and a half months to prepare a clone card. 

The cards were then sent to members of the Romanian gang in Delhi and using the same, cash was withdrawn from different ATMs in Delhi.

Preliminary investigation has revealed that Adre was the main person in charge of installing the skimming machines at ATM counters. Both Adre and Cornel were close associates of another Romanian national Nana, who was arrested from the Indo-Nepal border on Wednesday by Customs. 

He was later handed over to Kolkata Police. The police had come to know about Adre and Cornel from Nana.The duo had realised that they would also get arrested after Nana was caught. So they were also trying to flee from the country. The car in which they were travelling was fitted with a GPS system and it enabled the police to track them with the help of Indore Police. Preliminary investigation has revealed that Nana and the duo had connection with their counterparts in the neighbouring country. A shop has also been identified in the neighbouring country, where the cloning of cards used to take place. 

A team comprising members of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) are in constant touch with the security agency in the neighbouring country and may visit the place to further probe the case. 

The arrested persons have been brought to Kolkata on Friday and they were produced before the Bankshall Court. The police suspect that there could be more people involved in the crime and officers in the SIT are trying to ascertain the same.