Daily Times

KARACHI: Karachi police on Sunday claimed to have caught at least five Chinese nationals red-handed for their alleged involvement in ATM skimming frauds in Karachi.

Police also claimed to have recovered around Rs 2.9 million, skimming devices and ATM cards from them. The arrested Chinese nationals were later handed over to the Cybercrime Circle of the Federal Investigation Agency for further investigation.

Police high ups said that an organised gang of from China and Pakistan was behind the ATM skimming frauds in the city.

The four Chinese nationals were arrested from Defence while another one from Bahadurabad.

“Police arrested the Chinese nationals suspected of ATM skimming fraud,” said Clifton division Superintendent of Police (SP) Asad Malhi during a press conference on Sunday evening. He said that three Chinese national were arrested from Defence Phase II. One of their comrades was later arrested on the information provided by those already arrested.” The arrested foreigners had used fake master ATM cards to draw money from different bank accounts.

SP Malhi said that the Chinese nationals had reached Karachi some three days ago on multiple business visa, after a man in Karachi invited them in the country to offer jobs.

“We had arrived there for a work but the gang’s leader asked us for the ATM skimming and provided us 10,000 yuan in exchange for ATM skimming,” the officer said while quoting the arrested foreigners. “The gang leaders are running an organised gang and all members of the gang are foreigners,” said the police official, adding that those arrested belonged to a same group.

Similarly, another Chinese national was arrested for ATM skimming fraud by Bahadurabad police. Police officials said that the police reacted on the information about the ATM skimming fraud in the Shabbirabad neighbourhood on Tipu Sultan Road within Bahadurabad Police Station limits. “A call was received regarding suspected Chinese nationals skimming ATMs on Tipu Sultan Road,” said police. “Police swung into action within ten minutes and managed to arrest one Chinese national.”

The Chinese national arrested by Bahadurabad police had been identified as Xu Zhuping. Police also recovered an ATM skimming device, Rs 0.65million, identity card, passport and a cell phone from him. “His three accomplices, however, managed to escape,” said police.. Police officials said that CCTV footage has been obtained to further investigate the case.

The incidents of ATM skimming are rising in Karachi nowadays. These were the second and third similar arrests to have occurred in less than a week as earlier on January 10, police arrested two Chinese nationals for their alleged involvement in ATM skimming fraud. They were identified as Zhonga Qiachang and Zhong Shaowen. The FIA had arrested them red-handed while installing ATM skimming devices at an ATM machine on Abdullah Haroon Road.

ATM skimming can be regarded as identity theft for debit cards. Fraudsters employ different techniques to record PIN code for accessing the money in an account. In some instances, the schemers stick a fake card-reader on the ATM, while in others they place a fake keypad on the machine to get PIN code.

Another technique employed in this crime is the use of a hidden camera, which records PIN code and conveys it to fraudsters. A few ATM skimmers also change the entire display of the ATM.

Published in Daily Times, January 15^th 2018.