Manila: The national police has strengthened its drive against fraudsters — including those from foreign countries — who use sophisticated electronic devices to break into automated teller machines.
According to the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group, they have received numerous reports in recent months about missing deposits at ATMs prompting authorities to launch a renewed drive against high-tech thieves who use skimming devices to illegally withdraw cash.
“With the increasing cases and loss of money because of ATM Card Fraud, the Joint Anti-Bank Robbery Action Committee (Jabrac) has strengthen its focus in locating ATM Fraud syndicates who are responsible for putting skimming devices to an automated teller machines,” the PNP said in a statement.
The Jabrac is a joint effort of the government and private sector to fight bank-related crimes in the country.
Filipinos have been using ATMs since the use of computer operated cash dispensing devices were adopted globally more than two-decades ago. However as with most open-use devices, it wasn’t far before fraudsters were able to hack into the systems and steal from the cash machines.
Among the latest tools use by felons to carry out fraud are skimming devices.
“Skimming devices are placed secretly in ATMs to copy the bank account data from inserted ATM cards and loot the owner’s bank account,” the PNP warned.
Police Officer 1 Marcelo of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group told Gulf News in an interview that several foreigners have already been arrested for carrying out such illegal skimming operations.
In May 15, two Bulgarians were arrested by PNP in Central Luzon while trying to instal ATM skimming devices on personal identification number entry pads of a bank inside a mall in Pampanga province.
Arrested in the police operation were Mladenov Emil Stoyanov and Kanev Lyuben Georgiev who had with them a laptop, an ATM card skimmer and other items.
Authorities said such capers prove that foreign felons are capable of breaking into bank accounts in the Philippines. In some cases, depositors would not know that their account had been compromised until they withdraw their money from the ATM.
Prior to the arrest of the two Bulgarians, police in Angeles City, Pampanga, arrested a man who was about to instal a skimming device at a local ATM. Roberto De Cecco, 62, who claimed to be Italian, did not resist arrest when collared by authorities.
De Cecco, according to reports, was with two Romanian tourists when they tried to pull off the caper.
Marcelo said aside from foreigners, local fraudsters had also been caught using skimmers.
In one recent arrest carried out by police in Makati City, a member of the elite Presidential Security Group was caught using a skimmer to break into an ATM of a local bank.
Although some of the criminals were arrested, he warned that these felons have demonstrated the capability to steal money in the Philippines and flee to other countries where were it is difficult for the law to catch up with them.
