Two Bulgarian nationals, members of a criminal organisation active in the interception of bank card data, were arrested in the act yesterday morning in the area of Evosmos. According to the police, the foreigners had booby-trapped three automatic teller machines (ATMs) in Thessaloniki - in Evosmos, Neapoli and Harilaou - in order to intercept data and make copies of cards - clones.
The alleged perpetrators placed a trap mechanism on the card-receiver of the ATM, as well as a plastic cover in which a microcircuit and camera had been suitably adapted, which they stuck to the upper plastic casing of the ATM to record the PIN code typed by the cardholder when using the card (skimming).
Following a complaint, the police found that the perpetrators during the period from 16 to 18 September 2022 had placed the three trap mechanisms in ATMs of bank branches, thus intercepting data of at least six hundred and sixty-five bank cards, which were cancelled in time by the bank branches, with the prevented damage exceeding the amount of 665.000, while at the same time a large number of debit and credit card holders were protected from the creation of card clones.
These are foreigners aged 51 and 36 years old, against whom, as well as another accomplice, a case was filed for criminal organization, fraud, computer fraud to the extent of a felony, obstruction of information systems and violation of the law on personal data.
The arrested, with the case against them, will be brought to the appropriate authorities.
