Gurugram: White label ATMs seized at cybercriminals' houses

Tribune News Service

Sumedha Sharma

Gurugram, October 16

Cybercriminals in Mewat continue to keep the police at their wits’ end. In a bid to escape identification, tracking and eventual arrest while operating ATMs with cloned cards, criminals in at least a dozen villages in Deeg (formerly Bharatpur) district of Rajasthan have fraudulently got white label ATMs installed at their houses. Usually ATMs are managed by banks, but white label ATMs are owned and operated by non-banking entities. These allow customers to use them for banking transactions regardless of the bank they have an account with. These were introduced by the RBI to expand India’s ATM network, especially in semi-urban and rural areas. These ATMs, allegedly issued on fake addresses in Nuh of Haryana, were duly filled with cash by the agencies concerned while criminals operated these on their doorstep. The police investigation so far indicates connivance between employees of white label companies and cash-filling agencies.

The Deeg police, along with the police of neighbouring districts such as Nuh and Alwar, are on the lookout for such officials and criminals following a tip-off that similar ATMs have been installed there.

The startling revelation was made during a recent raid by the Deeg police in the “Jamtara” villages of Bamni and Sabal Garh. The police seized four ATMs installed in houses of criminals.

Getting a whiff of these raids, all village men fled, but the police managed to seize ATMs, numerous point of sale machines, laptops, 10 debit cards, four cash-counting machines and Rs 2.94 lakh.

The police have filed five FIRs and launched an investigation.

“These are white label ATMs. For the past several months, we have been monitoring cybercrime syndicates that frequently use ATMs in obscure locations for cash withdrawals. These criminals managed to manoeuvre the ATM installation process as these were registered at some other address, but installed elsewhere. These were regularly and legally filled with cash, leaving no scope for doubt. We will be carrying out more raids to bust the syndicate. The companies concerned are being contacted,” said SP (Deeg) Brijesh Jyoti Upadhyaya.

A senior investigator said the names of some top white label companies had surfaced. “Since these ATMs were issued on addresses in Nuh and installed elsewhere, it clearly hints at the involvement of officials,” the investigator said.

“Criminals in Haryana were largely involved in debit card frauds. They, however, faced major hassle while visiting ATMs and thought of this new method. Reports suggest that such ATMs are installed not just in these 12 villages, but all over Mewat. Convenience fee was being charged from cybercriminals to use these ATMs,” revealed a senior investigator.

Mewat has emerged as the “Jamtara” of the North.

Raid that bared it all

• Deeg police in Rajasthan carried out a raid at Bamni and Sabal Garh villages
• Seized four ATMs installed at the houses of criminals
• POS machines, laptops, 10 debit cards, 4 cash-counting machines & Rs 2.94L also found

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