Romanian group of fraudsters apprehended in UK

The fraudsters used hidden cameras and tampered with hole-in-the-wall machines to copy card details and PIN numbers to steal more than GBP 160,000 before they were caught.

They cloned the cards and transferred the money to Panama, Romania, Italy and Colombia using money transfer bureaus. Criminal activities included fake cash machine panels with hidden pin-hole cameras, cloned cards and money traps.

The money traps were fitted into ATM machines and prevented money from coming out when a customer tried to withdraw cash. When the customer finally lost patience and went away, the fraudster would remove the trap from inside the machine and collect the money.