Engineer Turned ATM Card Swapping Fraudster Arrested for ₹30 Lakh Withdrawal Over Three Years

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ATM Card-Swapping Scam: Former IT Professional Arrested

A former IT professional, identified as Dilshad, has been apprehended by law enforcement for allegedly operating a large-scale ATM card-swapping scam.

Modus Operandi

Dilshad would target vulnerable individuals, such as elderly people and women, who appeared unfamiliar with ATM operations. He would observe their PIN entries and then cancel their transactions, claiming the machine was malfunctioning. Under the guise of assistance, he would swap the victim’s ATM card with a fake one. By the time the victims realized what had happened, their accounts had already been drained at different locations.

Extent of the Scam

The accused has admitted to committing similar offenses in multiple areas of Lucknow, including Madiaon, Jankipuram, Para, Chinhat, Alambagh, Naka, and Kaiserbagh. Additionally, he confessed to carrying out ATM frauds in Maharashtra, Delhi, and Madhya Pradesh.

Recovery and Arrest

During the arrest, police recovered 181 ATM cards, four fake Aadhaar cards, a motorcycle without a number plate, a mobile phone, and cash from Dilshad’s possession. His associate, Shahban, was also taken into custody.

Law enforcement officials have warned the public to exercise caution when using ATMs, advising them not to accept help from strangers, to cover the keypad while entering their PIN, and to immediately report any suspicious activity to the bank and police.

Significance of the Arrests

The arrests are seen as a significant breakthrough in combating ATM card fraud targeting vulnerable users.

₹30 lakh withdrawn from bank accounts of numerous victims over a period of three years.
₹17,700 withdrawn from the accounts of two elderly victims, Arjun Singh and Raju Gupta.
₹2.40 lakh siphoned from the account of Sushma Srivastava.