The Mira Bhayandar Crime Branch has successfully busted an ATM fraud syndicate, arresting three suspects involved in stealing Rs 50,000 from a victim. The accused, identified as Shivshankar Ramu Prasad (25) from Jharkhand, Prince Vinod Jaiswal (28) from Gujarat, and Upendra Singh (45) from Uttar Pradesh, were arrested after a thorough investigation led by DCP Avinash Ambure and senior inspector Aviraj Kurade.
The case came to light in April when a victim reported that their ATM card had become trapped in the slot of an HDFC Bank ATM while attempting to withdraw cash at an ATM in Navghar. One of the suspects, posing as a well-meaning helper, tricked the victim into thinking their card could be retrieved by contacting a fake customer service number. The victim, believing the fraudsters, was convinced to re-enter their ATM PIN while speaking with the fake customer service representative, who was, in fact, an accomplice.
While the victim was away from the ATM, instructed to visit the bank to file a complaint about the trapped card, the fraudsters took advantage of the situation. They used the victim’s ATM card and withdrew Rs 50,000 from multiple ATMs.
After the victim realized that their card was missing, they immediately filed a complaint with the Navghar police station. The police began their investigation, analyzing ATM footage and mobile phone data to trace the suspects. Their efforts led to the identification of the perpetrators and their subsequent arrest in Vapi through tower location tracing and technological analysis.
The arrested individuals have admitted to a series of similar fraudulent activities conducted across Mumbai, including areas such as Malad, Kandivali, Borivali, Mahim, and Jogeshwari. The modus operandi involved manipulating ATMs to trap victims’ cards. The fraudsters would then present themselves as helpful individuals, offering assistance to the victims by issuing a fake customer service number.
Once the victims dialed the number, they were connected to an accomplice who pretended to be a customer service representative. The scammers coaxed the victims into revealing their ATM PINs and convinced them to leave the ATM, promising the card would be released once a complaint was filed at the bank. Meanwhile, the accused would quickly use the stolen card to withdraw money from the victims’ accounts via multiple ATMs.
