News

Malaysians arrested in Gulf ATM skimming case

March 21, 2004

MUSCAT, Oman - Six Malaysians were caught using card skimming devices on ATMs in Oman, according to a reports in both The Star and the Borneo Bulletin.

It was the first such crime reported in the Gulf sultanate, said Oman police spokesman Abdullah Ali al-Harthy. 

The men, who were not named, confessed to a similar offense in another Gulf country. 

"We foiled the attempt within an hour of a tip-off from a citizen," Ali al-Harthy said in a statement issued on March 20 after the arrests at a city hotel. 

Venkat Raman, deputy general manager of Oman Arab Bank, said Bank Muscat was the first to lodge a complaint with the Central Bank after employees discovered a skimming gadget attached to a branch ATM. 

He said the accused had collected secret PINs and other card data from 300 ATM cardholders from several banks. "Their target was 500 before starting their operation of drawing out money. We are taking extra measures," he said.