Three managers of three different stores have been arrested by the city crime branch for allegedly duping customers after stealing their card details. The crime branch unit 9 which has arrested 8 accused in the case so far, suspect that hundreds of people have been cheated by the gang in similar way. From the gang crime branch has seized 181 cards, 9 skimmer devices and one card writer.
According to the police, the mastermind of the gang, Mohammad Faiz Chaudhary, 27 has allegedly gave skimmer devices to many store managers to copy customer's data. So far they have arrested three store managers working at a Powai based hotel, a garment store in Andheri West and from an ice cream shop in Pune.
These managers were just tasked to secretly swipe customer's card from the skimmer devices and memorise their personal identification number (PIN) as customer's entered while making payments. For each card data and corresponding PIN number, Chaudhary either pay them Rs 500 per card or 10 % amount which would be withdrawn from the customer's card.
Last week crime branch unit 9 arrested one Yashwant Gupta, 23 manager of a Powai based hotel after several hotel's customers reportedly fell pray for cyber frauds even though they did not share their card details nor their PIN number ro anyone. During the internal probe, bank realised that all of them had went to the hotel and made payment through their card before fraud, said police.
According to the police, Chaudhary provided skimmer device to Gupta who copy customer's card data and memorises their PIN number as customer enters. He later sold the data along with PIN number for Rs 500 per card to Chaudhary, said police.
According to the police, Chaudhary used to buy data such managers to whom skimmer devices have been provided, he then imprints data on blank cards and send his aids to withdraw cash from these cards after giving them PIN number associated with the card.
His accomplices then went as far as Pune and Satara to avoid suspicion. They generally withdraw cash on day before public holiday so that they could get more time to escape, said police.
"One should always ensure that the debit/credit is swiped right in front of you while making card payments and the PIN should never be shared with anyone. Always insert the PIN while hiding your number, " said DCP crime Akbar Pathan.
