In a major bust, Goa Police have arrested two Haryana natives—Sanjay Maheswal (33) and Sonu Kumar (32)—for operating a sophisticated ATM card swapping scam that has reportedly affected over 100 victims across India.
The arrests followed a complaint by Vasudev Sawant (79) of Mayem, who was duped on June 25 at an SBI ATM in Bicholim. The accused, posing as helpful bystanders, swapped his card while pretending to assist him. They then withdrew Rs40,000 using his credentials at another ATM.
Police tracked the duo to a local guest house in Calangute and arrested them early on June 27. Two Yamaha Fascino scooters rented by the suspects were seized, along with over 40 ATM cards, cash, and other belongings.
The accused were also connected to a similar fraud in Panaji on June 26, where they swapped a card at an HDFC ATM and withdrew Rs1.17 lakh in Porvorim.
Investigations reveal that the gang traveled from Haryana through Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and finally to Goa. Their modus operandi involved tampering with ATM slots using adhesives to jam the machines. They then pretended to help victims, observed their PINs, and stealthily swapped the cards.
One more accomplice remains absconding, and police are continuing their probe to uncover the full scope of the scam, which may include more incidents across several states.
