ATM card cloner detained in capital

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested Shariful Islam, 33, on Tuesday night from Mirpur area in the capital for ATM fraud. He has been charged with committing fraud with cards of five banks.

When working as a salesman at the Banani branch of the super shop Swapno, Shariful used his digital wristwatch and mini car reader to steal the ATM information of customers.

The fraudster used to get the details of customers’ ATM cards through a special mini card reader attached to his digital wristwatch. He transferred their PIN numbers to his card after the customers left having paid their bills. Once back home, he placed the card information on an empty card with the help of his laptop and created cloned ATM cards for withdrawing money.

The CID seized a laptop, 1,400 cloned cards, a digital watch, 14 passports, two mini card readers, a wig, black sunglasses and eight mobile phones from his possession.

At a press conference held in the CID headquarters yesterday, Molla Nazrul Islam, special superintendent of the CID, disclosed this to reporters. He said Shariful mastered the technique of forgery in Russia and used the method to withdraw millions of taka from customers’ accounts in different banks.

During primary interrogation, Shariful said he had gone to Russia for higher studies in mining engineering. His roommate, a Russian named Ivanovich, taught Shariful how to forge ATM cards there. He returned to Bangladesh in 2010. Immediately after his return, he indulged into ATM cards cloning. He was in jail for 18 months in two relevant lawsuits back in 2013. Later he opened a students’ consultancy firm in the country, but failed to do good business. Then, he started again forging cards to commit ATM fraud. Shariful told law enforcers that around 100 people like him are active in a racket to steal money by using cloned cards.

Earlier, in the second week of March this year, the CID received complaints against him from Swapno authority that cards of five banks (BRAC Bank, City Bank, EBL, UCBL, Bank Asia) had been forged by his initiatives. Police began to investigate the matter.

The probe revealed the involvement of a group in the fraud. When customers of these banks visited various super shops and departmental stores, this racket made money from ATM booths by creating clone cards and stealing customer information.

The police found that Shariful used to live a life of luxury. He used an expansive car and millions of taka have been found in his bank account. A case has been filed at Mirpur Police Station in the capital and accordingly court granted his four-day remand.

ATM card cloner detained in capital

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested Shariful Islam, 33, on Tuesday night from Mirpur area in the capital for ATM fraud. He has been charged with committing fraud with cards of five banks. When working as a salesman at the Banani branch of the super shop Swapno, Shariful used his digital wristwatch and mini car reader to steal the ATM information of customers. The fraudster used to get the details of customers ATM cards through a special mini card reader attached to his digital wristwatch. He transferred their PIN numbers to his card after the customers left having paid their bills. Once back home, he placed the card information on an empty card with the help of his laptop and created cloned ATM cards for withdrawing money. The CID seized a laptop, 1,400 cloned cards, a digital watch, 14 passports, two mini card readers, a wig, black sunglasses and eight mobile phones from his possession. At a press conference held in the CID headquarters yesterday, Molla Nazrul Islam, special superintendent of the CID, disclosed this to reporters. He said Shariful mastered the technique of forgery in Russia and used the method to withdraw millions of taka from customers accounts in different banks. During primary interrogation, Shariful said he had gone to Russia for higher studies in mining engineering. His roommate, a Russian named Ivanovich, taught Shariful how to forge ATM cards there. He returned to Bangladesh in 2010. Immediately after his return, he indulged into ATM cards cloning. He was in jail for 18 months in two relevant lawsuits back in 2013. Later he opened a students consultancy firm in the country, but failed to do good business. Then, he started again forging cards to commit ATM fraud. Shariful told law enforcers that around 100 people like him are active in a racket to steal money by using cloned cards. Earlier, in the second week of March this year, the CID received complaints against him from Swapno authority that cards of five banks (BRAC Bank, City Bank, EBL, UCBL, Bank Asia) had been forged by his initiatives. Police began to investigate the matter. The probe revealed the involvement of a group in the fraud. When customers of these banks visited various super shops and departmental stores, this racket made money from ATM booths by creating clone cards and stealing customer information. The police found that Shariful used to live a life of luxury. He used an expansive car and millions of taka have been found in his bank account. A case has been filed at Mirpur Police Station in the capital and accordingly court granted his four-day remand.