MONTREAL -- Thieves apparently cloned the bank cards of 50 customers from a single Laurentian Bank branch and emptied their bank accounts during a recent weekend.
According to a Montreal Gazette report, the theft took place inside a bank branch in Terrebonne. One bank customer, Alain Bourque, told the Gazette he lost $2,480 (about $1,776 U.S.) from his account.
According to information provided by witnesses to the police, the thieves inserted a skimming mechanism at the ATM, even though the branch had security cameras installed.
The bank says it will reimburse fraud victims. It did not say how much money had been stolen.
Canada has seen several ATM-related card fraud cases in the past year. In February, two women were sentenced to 20 months in jail for their part in a $1.2 million (about $790,464 U.S.) case in late 2002. (See related stories Skimmers hit bank ATMs in Vancouver and Two women sentenced in Canadian ATM fraud)
In June, police confiscated 77 cloned bank cards and about $1,000 when they arrested a Russian man at a Bank of Montreal ATM. (See related story Canadian police arrest Russian in skimming case)
Interac, Canada's national ATM network, plans to release new security guidelines for its members, according to Mischa Weisz, chief executive of transaction processor TNS Smart Network and a member of the Interac board.
