The Bagepalli police have arrested two former car sales executives, Thimmarayappa (40) and Manjunath T. (38), for their involvement in a fraudulent ATM card swapping scheme that targeted unsuspecting users.
According to senior officers, the suspects would roam around ATMs, offering assistance to individuals who seemed to struggle with cash withdrawals. While one of the accused engaged the victim in a transaction, the other would create a distraction, often by arguing loudly with his associate. In the ensuing confusion, they would swap the victim’s ATM card and make their escape.
This method led to the defrauding of Naseema Sultana, a school teacher, who had her salary account emptied after her card was replaced on June 16.
Following her complaint, Bagepalli Town Police Inspector Prashanth R. Varni and his team reviewed over 100 hours of CCTV footage over the course of a month, ultimately identifying and apprehending the suspects in Malur town, Kolar district.
Police recovered Rs1 lakh in cash and 38 ATM cards from the arrested individuals. The arrests have shed light on multiple similar cases reported in and around Chikkaballapur district. Investigations have indicated that the duo also operated in various parts of Andhra Pradesh, prompting police to coordinate with their counterparts in that state.
Authorities revealed that both Thimmarayappa and Manjunath had a gambling addiction, which fueled their fraudulent activities. The police are currently working to identify additional victims using the seized ATM cards.
Superintendent of Police Kushal Chowksey commended the police team for their effective crackdown on the card swapping fraud. He urged the public to stay vigilant and refrain from engaging with strangers while using ATMs.