Not a system hack or software crack, but simply tampering with a bank ATM caused millions of rupees to disappear from citizens’ accounts. In Lahore, a gang comprising matriculation dropouts has carried out dozens of such incidents.
According to police, an elderly woman went to a bank ATM located in Lahore’s Wahdat Colony to withdraw cash. Three people were already present there, with one inside the ATM cabin and two outside.
The person inside pretended that his ATM card had become stuck in the machine. The other two acted as strangers and gave the elderly woman an opportunity to use the ATM. As soon as she used the machine, it became jammed.
The elderly woman waited for a few moments, but when her card did not come out, she left. She had not even reached home when she received a message that money had been withdrawn from her account.
When police began investigating, the trail led to Chunian, where they arrested a three-member gang, including two brothers. The gang had carried out more than a dozen incidents over the course of a year, mostly targeting elderly citizens.
Police investigation revealed that the suspects only changed the ATM’s language module, causing the system to take more than 10 minutes to recover. During this period, the ATM would retain the card of anyone who attempted to withdraw cash.
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