Lankan gang suspected of credit card fraud

The number of complaints from ATM users, alleging credit card fraud, lodged with the central crime branch (CCB) in Chennai has touched 120. The total amount of the illegally swiped money is estimated to be to the tune of 1 crore Indian rupees and the needle of suspicion points to another Sri Lankan gang.

The latest set of complaints has poured in from customers of private and nationalised banks living in suburban areas, such as Madipakkam and Pallikaranai.

Meanwhile, after a double breakthrough in October that led to the arrests of two gangs of credit card fraudsters, the CCB sleuths have sounded an alert to the US Consulate here after probe showed that some of the stolen data belonged to residents of that country.

The arrests revealed two types of modus operandi (MO), a senior CCB officer told Express on Friday. Led by a Sri Lankan kingpin Sharcy alias B Umesh (27), the first group had stolen credit card data from ATM machines through insertion of skimmers. In the second case, a four-member gang had intercepted the data while the cards were on transit with the connivance of courier company employees.

“Scientific analysis of the latest complaints from suburban residents shows that the MO is similar to the first category,” the officer was quoted as saying by Express News Service.

Interrogation of Sharcy and his gang members in police custody, the available evidence and caller records brought to light the involvement of another Lankan gang, staying and operating from the suburban areas. “The three-member gang appears to have roped in locals for withdrawal of cash from ATM centres,” the officer said.

The probe revealed that the Lankans came to India on a three-month tourist visa and overstayed despite the expiry of the visa. They mostly congregated in the suburban areas. The fraudsters procured the fake credit cards from Malaysia through courier, and printed the data - stolen or purchased from within India or other countries, he said.

The Canadian connection came to light after the arrest of Sharcy, who claimed that he obtained his education as well as learnt the ‘techniques’ of the trade in that country. Hence, the assistance of Interpol might be sought in the future in tackling the menace, CCB sources said. Meanwhile, the sleuths are hot on the trail of the second Lankan gang and hope for a breakthrough within a week.