Vile Parle resident loses ₹1.45 lakh in card fraud

The police are on the lookout for a cybercriminal who has been using a skimming device to clone credit and debit cards and withdraw money.

The crime came to light last month when an employee of a private company from Vile Parle lost Rs1.45 lakh to card cloning.

According to a police officer, the man has been using the card at malls and hotels for over a year.

The police suspect that he gave the card to a waiter at a hotel or a store along with the PIN code.

“The man lost Rs1.45 lakh. The cybercriminal used the debit card to withdraw money even as the victim had his card with him. The cybercriminal cloned the debit card to make the transactions,” said a police officer.

The victim had switched off his mobile phone and when he switched it on in the morning, he found three messages from his bank informing him of the transactions.

The Mumbai police have been spreading awareness on safety measures to curb credit and debit card fraud.

“A credit card or debit card user should never give his card to anybody at the mall or at hotel. He himself should enter the PIN in the machine,” said the officer

We strongly suspect that the man had given his card to pay the bill and the PIN. After swiping the card, the accused would have quickly swiped it on a skimming device. Cybercriminals use the skimming device to copy details and clone the card,” added the officer.

The cybercriminal withdrew money in Mumbai at a jewellery shop and from a couple of ATMS near the shop using the cloned card.

An FIR was registered under IPC and IT Act sections for cheat