CHENNAI: An unidentified man, who reportedly helped a 32-year-old check his bank account balance at an ATM allegedly swapped ATM cards and later withdrew Rs 40,000 from the latter’s account on Wednesday night.
Kaja Naja-uh-din of Shiek Babu Street at Royapettah had recently fractured his hand in a road accident. “On Wednesday night, he was waiting at a nationalised ATM situated in Kapoor Street at Ice House, where a stranger had also come to withdraw money.
Kaja, who found it difficult to operate the machine sought help from the man to check his account balance. The man checked the balance and informed him that Rs 50,000 was available in the account,” the investigating officer said.
“When the man was returning the debit card, he allegedly swapped the card which Kaja did not notice. A few minutes after the two left the ATM, Kaja received a message that Rs 20,000 had been debited from his account. He immediately rushed to the Ice House police station to file a complaint, when the stranger, in the meanwhile, took away Rs 20,000 more,” the officer said.
A case has been registered and the police have launched a search for the suspect.