Uttar Pradesh police have apprehended three men accused of orchestrating a sophisticated ATM scam that targeted customers by stealing their debit cards and PIN numbers. The suspects, Insaan Khan and Arun from Ghaziabad, and Sarvesh from Hardoi, were arrested Tuesday in Kidwai Nagar after multiple complaints about ATM frauds surfaced in Kanpur and neighboring districts.
Authorities allege that the group operated by closely observing ATM users, especially elderly people, women, and children, as they entered their PINs. The men would then approach the victims under the pretense of offering help and swiftly swap their genuine debit cards with fake ones. This method allowed them to withdraw significant sums before the victims realized their cards had been compromised.
During the arrests, police seized 43 debit cards, Rs22,000 in cash, and two motorcycles used by the gang. Deputy Superintendent of Police Deepak Kumar Choudhary said, “These men were highly organized and operated in groups, making it difficult for victims to immediately notice the fraud.”
All three accused had prior records of petty theft but recently escalated to ATM frauds, exploiting vulnerabilities in ATM security and targeting less digitally aware users.
With ATM-related scams rising in northern India, authorities have cautioned citizens to be vigilant when using ATMs, advising them to cover their hands while entering PINs. Investigations are ongoing to ascertain if this group is linked to a larger inter-district network of ATM fraudsters.
