Idukki: Kattappana police nabbed a conman, who is involved in 27 ATM fraud cases, from his home at Bodinayakanur in Tamil Nadu.
According to cops, the arrested Thambiraj, 48, swindled money from several people by tricking them at ATM kiosks in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
According to police officers, Thambiraj would target elderly people and guest workers who are not familiar with withdrawing money from ATMs using cards.
He would choose ATM kiosks that have multiple machines and insert paper inside the card slots. He would stand near an ATM holding currency notes in his hand pretending that has just withdrawn money from the other machine.
He would then volunteer to help people when they find their ATM not working. Thambiraj would then deftly change their ATM card with a fake one and would ask for the PIN.
“Naturally, the tempered ATMs wouldn't work. Then his victims would leave the ATM kiosks with the duplicate card he has given them. Thambiraj would then remove the paper, use the valid card and key in the correct PIN to withdraw money. He would only withdraw money during the wee hours to make sure that cardholders are not alerted by the SMS they receive for withdrawals,” Kattappana DSP V A Nishad Mon said.
Based on a complaint by a victim, who was duped by Thambiraj at an ATM in Kattapana on July 2, police filed a case against the man. Cops identified the man from CCTV visuals and alerted Tamil Nadu police who told them that Thambiraj was a seasoned criminal and was released from Chennai jail the previous month.
Based on a tip-off, officers from Kattappana and Tamil Nadu police apprehended the fraudster from his home.
The accused was presented before the Kattappana magistrate court on Thursday and was remanded.
