Sri Lankan Tamil duo mastermind in fake ATM card racket

Wednesday, 29 May 2013 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

New Indian Express: The Q-branch police arrested two more persons - Habib Rahman of Saibaba Colony in Coimbatore and Muthukumar, Sellur, in Madurai in connection with the ATM card fraud case.

However, investigations have revealed that the mastermind behind the whole racket were two Sri Lankan Tamils residing abroad.

Sixty fake cards, six mobile phones, skimmer machines, desk top, laptop, SUV and ` 3 lakh in cash were seized from the duo.

Cops suspect that the Lankan Tamil duo, identified as Mugundhan, residing now in Canada and Sunil in Indonesia have connections with the former LTTE members.

A senior police officer said that they have sought the help of Interpol to bring the duo, who have allegedly established a global network for the racket, to Tamil Nadu for an investigation.

The gang members sourced debit card details of NRIs through skimmer machines and e-mailed the data to gang members operating in India. “Once the gang members receive the debit card data, they immediately prepare fake cards and withdraw cash before the card is blocked by a default system. Most of the details were hacked through shopping malls, cinema halls and showrooms with the help of the sales staff and employees of malls,” an official said.

The main accused, Balaji, was a diploma holder of Madurai. Before nabbing the culprits, cops traced the identity of Balaji through CCTV footages in ATMs.

Balaji received information from foreign sources and passed it on to other gang members in Madurai, Tiruchy and Coimbatore. Balaji allegedly confessed to the police that he sends the remaining amount through hawala method (Hundial in their code word).