CUTTACK: Mangalabag police on Sunday busted an ATM card exchange fraud racket and arrested two members of the gang for allegedly cheating gullible people on the pretext of helping them withdraw money, and then swapping their ATM cards without their knowledge and drawing money using their PINs.
The accused are Sambhab Kumar Acharya (37) of Jajpur and Manoj Paik (43), a native of Khurda, currently staying in Bhubaneswar’s Mancheswar area.
Briefing mediapersons, DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo said on November 3, they received a complaint from one Rasmi Ranjan Mohanty who alleged that his ATM card had been fraudulently exchanged at an SBI ATM kiosk at Nuapatna in Cuttack.
In his complaint, Mohanty alleged that he was unable to withdraw cash from his card when an unidentified person approached him on the pretext of helping him. He allegedly obtained his ATM card and PIN and attempted to withdraw cash from the machine, later claiming that the card was not working. Subsequently, the accused allegedly swapped his card with a similar-looking one, and left with his original card without his knowledge.
Mohanty said he realised about the fraud when he later found that around Rs 40,000 had been withdrawn from his account in four transactions. Basing on his complaint, police launched an investigation and arrested the duo on Sunday.
Preliminary investigation revealed the two accused allegedly targeted unsuspecting customers, specially senior citizens and those unfamiliar with ATM operations. They reportedly carried multiple ATM cards of different banks and moved between ATM kiosks on a scooty to execute the fraud.
Following their arrest, police seized Rs 40,000 cash, 18 ATM cards, two mobile phones, a scooty, among other incriminating articles from their possession.
“Both the accused are habitual offenders and suspected to be members of an organised ATM card exchange fraud gang. Fifty-three similar fraud cases have been registered against them at different police stations in Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Jajpur and Puri between 2017 and 2026,” said the DCP.
The accused spent the looted money on buying expensive gifts for their wives and family members. Further investigation is underway, said Dnyandeo.