Card fraud syndicate bust

AN international syndicate allegedly making fraudulent credit and debit card transactions have been found to be doing the rounds in Namibia.

Six people – two Namibians, two Sri Lankans, a Singaporean and one British national – will appear in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court today after Police busted an operation they were allegedly involved in, and which has likely been on going for the past two months. The six were arrested on Monday night.Police, along with staff of Bank Windhoek, held a press conference in Windhoek yesterday, where they displayed a host of fraudulent cards, cellphones, labelling devices and a card-printing machine confiscated from the group.Bank Windhoek’s Manager for Cards and Support Services, Stoney Steenkamp, said the group appeared to have been working with people from outside the country.The syndicate, he said, gain access to the information found on ATM and credit cards, either by stealing the original cards or by card-skimming – scanning the information on cards using equipment apparently attached to the card slot of an ATM.This information they then share with others, sometimes in other countries, and they create extensive computer databases.They then print the pertinent information on blank cards that are widely available, and decorate the white cards with the emblems and colours of various local banks.”This they only do to avoid suspicion,” Steenkamp told reporters, adding that the bank name on the card hardly ever corresponds with where the money is withdrawn.The bank became aware of these activities about two months ago when it was first recorded, he said, adding that “a few hundred” Namibians are known to have fallen victim to the group.Police managed to recover N$920 741,56 during their sting operation – N$94 372 of which was in Namibian currency.”Everybody is alert now.Everyone is on the lookout and clients have been warned,” Steenkamp said, maintaining that the banks have upped their security since the discovery of the group’s alleged activities.Three of the group’s members were apparently caught at an ATM in Katutura, where Police sat waiting for them.They then led the authorities to the rest of the group, and to the equipment that was confiscated.It appears that the group tried to come to an agreement with a security guard during a previous visit to the ATM, but the latter reported their suspicious behaviour to his superiors, which eventually led to the arrest.Police spokesperson Chief Inspector Angula Amulunga rejected this account, however, saying that the arrest of the six was the result of an ongoing Police investigation.The six were arrested on Monday night.Police, along with staff of Bank Windhoek, held a press conference in Windhoek yesterday, where they displayed a host of fraudulent cards, cellphones, labelling devices and a card-printing machine confiscated from the group.Bank Windhoek’s Manager for Cards and Support Services, Stoney Steenkamp, said the group appeared to have been working with people from outside the country.The syndicate, he said, gain access to the information found on ATM and credit cards, either by stealing the original cards or by card-skimming – scanning the information on cards using equipment apparently attached to the card slot of an ATM. This information they then share with others, sometimes in other countries, and they create extensive computer databases.They then print the pertinent information on blank cards that are widely available, and decorate the white cards with the emblems and colours of various local banks.”This they only do to avoid suspicion,” Steenkamp told reporters, adding that the bank name on the card hardly ever corresponds with where the money is withdrawn.The bank became aware of these activities about two months ago when it was first recorded, he said, adding that “a few hundred” Namibians are known to have fallen victim to the group. Police managed to recover N$920 741,56 during their sting operation – N$94 372 of which was in Namibian currency.”Everybody is alert now.Everyone is on the lookout and clients have been warned,” Steenkamp said, maintaining that the banks have upped their security since the discovery of the group’s alleged activities.Three of the group’s members were apparently caught at an ATM in Katutura, where Police sat waiting for them.They then led the authorities to the rest of the group, and to the equipment that was confiscated.It appears that the group tried to come to an agreement with a security guard during a previous visit to the ATM, but the latter reported their suspicious behaviour to his superiors, which eventually led to the arrest.Police spokesperson Chief Inspector Angula Amulunga rejected this account, however, saying that the arrest of the six was the result of an ongoing Police investigation.