ATM hacking gang busted in Karachi

KARACHI: An organized gang of IT experts involved in Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) hacking and defrauding citizens has been busted in Karachi.

As per details, the gang was busted by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) during an operation, with a female accomplice also identified as part of the group.

According to SSP, the gang hacks ATMs and positions themselves outside banks. When a citizen uses the ATM and their card gets stuck, one of the gang members pretends to assist by calling the helpline. During the call, they extract the victim’s password and other sensitive information.

In a recent case in Nazimabad, a senior citizen was defrauded of Rs450,000, with CCTV footage capturing the incident. The footage shows a woman and her two accomplices clearly visible.

Police revealed that the gang has carried out similar crimes in several cities, including Lahore, Islamabad, and Karachi. Investigations are underway to dismantle the entire network.

Citizens are advised to remain vigilant while using ATMs and avoid accepting help from strangers.

Meanwhile, experts have warned specific ATM card holders of being at greater risk of losing all of the money they have in their bank account.

Bank account holders are always advised against using their Date of Birth, Name, or any information that is famous about them as their password.

A recent incident endorsed this opinion as a thief has been arrested in India who has withdrawn thousands of cash from several bank accounts by using their date of birth as their PIN code.