Exploiting tech glitch, gang siphons off Rs 48L from ATMs

Chennai

The police have so far received more than a dozencomplaints from the managers of different branches. “The main accused issuspected to be hiding in Haryana. Special teams are tracking his movements,”said a senior officer. Explaining one of their modus operandi, an official saidthe accused would withdraw cash from the CDM, but would prevent the chest fromclosing for 20 seconds. “The machine would interpret it as cash not withdrawnand digitally re-deposit the amount into the account,” said the official.

 Such cases were reported in Velachery, Taramani,Virugambakkam, Ramapuram and Vadapalani, sources said, adding that Rs 69,000was withdrawn from the ATM on Jawaharlal Nehru Salai in Vadapalani. CCTVfootage retrieved from the kiosks showed that they travelled by car, but werewearing helmets to hide their identity.

 On Tuesday, after senior bank officials met him,police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal said special teams were formed to nab thesuspects. “There is no direct loss to the customers, but the bank has becomethe victim,” he said. Another official told DT Next that the fraudsters couldhave used stolen cards. But the original account holders would not get SMSalerting them about the withdrawal as the machine would read such transactionsas failed. “It could even be an insider’s job,” he added. Briefing the mediaalong with the Commissioner, Radha Krishnan, general manager, Chennai circle,said that the fraud has been committed in one of the two types of automatedcash withdrawal deposit machines that the bank has been using. Steps have beentaken to resolve the glitch, he added, while reports said the bank hastemporarily disabled the CDMs with the glitch to prevent misuse.