VASCO
A Vasco-based journalist, a naval officer and a local resident became the latest targets of ATM fraudsters, as cash amounting to Rs 95,600 were stolen from their Vasco bank accounts in different parts of the country.
While the culprits withdrew Rs 42,600 from the journalist’s account through a fraudulent ATM transaction in New Delhi on Tuesday, the naval officer lost Rs 5,000 from an ATM withdrawal in Pondicherry. Another resident, Vijay Narayan Naik, also lost around Rs 48,000 from fraudulent ATM transactions.
The Vasco police informed they received two complaints on Tuesday of withdrawal of money by fraudulent ATM transactions. According to sources in Vasco police station, the men-in-khaki are also planning to advise people not to use ATMs for a few days.
Vijay Naik informed that he had received a message that Rs 30,000 had been withdrawn from his account on Monday and later on Tuesday received another message that Rs 18,000 was withdrawn from his account.
Meanwhile, the journalist reported that on Tuesday four transactions were made within five minutes and a total of Rs 40,000 was withdrawn from the account in one nationalised bank and another Rs 2,600 was withdrawn from another nationalised bank account.
The journalist and the local resident have filed complaints with the Vasco police and with the manager of the nationalised bank in Vasco, where they have accounts.
It may be recalled that several people from around Dabolim had complained that they had lost money through fraudulent ATM transactions and Vasco police had called for a meeting and realised that a skimmer was placed in the ATM of a nationalised bank.
Incidentally, a foreign national was also nabbed red-handed at Porvorim while trying to fix a skimmer in the ATM and was later handed over to the Vasco police for further investigation.
Speaking to the media, the journalist said ATM fraud has become rampant in Goa and appealed to people to be careful while using their ATM cards.
“Please don’t use an ATM for few days. Somebody withdrew cash of Rs 40,000 from my account at an ATM in New Delhi,” said the journalist.
