The Bauchi State Police Command has disclosed that it arrested a suspected criminal, Abdullahi Buhari, 27, who allegedly defrauded unsuspecting members of public by stealing their Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards.
It was learnt that Buhari was arrested on 14th of January, 2018 after operatives from state Intelligence Bureau (SIB) of the command arrested him at a Union Bank ATM point while attempting to defraud one Dauda Habila, 36, under the pretense of assisting him.
According to police, the suspect alongside his accomplice, one Umar now at large, specialized in tricking bank customers while trying to withdraw money from ATM by pretending to assist them on how to make the withdrawal effectively.
Narrating the suspect’s modus operandi, the police alleged that in the process of attempting to assist customers, the duo would secretly swap the customer’s ATM card with another one of the same bank and also memorize the victim’s PIN number.
In a statement issued by the state police command public relations officer, Datti Abubakar, the suspects after swapping the ATM, would thereafter escape to another ATM point and withdraw money from the victim’s account.
The command stressed that the suspect would soon be charged to court after completion of investigation.
However, exhibits recovered from the suspect included twenty (20) pieces of ATM cards of different banks, two (2) National Identity Card belonging to one Bashir Bala and two (2) MTN SIM certificates.
The police advised the general public especially bank customers not to trust any unknown person offering assistance at ATM points.
It said that if there was any difficulty at the machine, members of public should contact the bank staff for assistance.
