LAHORE: A three-member gang allegedly stole hundreds of thousands of rupees from citizens by manipulating bank ATMs in Lahore, police said.
The suspects, including two brothers, targeted ATM users by making minor changes to the machines that caused them to retain customers’ cards, according to police.
The gang mainly targeted elderly citizens and allegedly carried out more than a dozen such incidents over the past year.
How the gang targeted ATM users
According to police, an elderly woman visited a bank ATM in Lahore’s Wahdat Colony to withdraw cash. Three men were already at the ATM, with one inside the booth and two others waiting outside.
The suspect inside the booth allegedly staged a scene in which his ATM card appeared to become stuck in the machine. The other two suspects then acted as if they were unaware of what was happening.
When the woman inserted her card, the ATM allegedly became jammed. She waited for several moments, but the machine did not return her card, prompting her to leave.
However, before she could reach home, she received a message showing that money had been withdrawn from her bank account.
Police arrest three suspects
Police launched an investigation and traced the suspected gang to Chunian, where officers arrested three people, including two brothers.
During questioning, investigators found that the suspects allegedly modified the ATM’s language module, causing the machine to take more than 10 minutes to return to normal operation.
During that period, the ATM would retain the card of a customer attempting to use the machine, allowing the suspects to allegedly obtain access to the account and withdraw money.
Police said the gang had targeted more than a dozen ATM users over the past year, with elderly citizens among its main targets.
Further investigation is underway to determine the full extent of the alleged fraud and identify other victims.
