Surat man arrested for stealing 196 ATM cards from drug addicts across Gujarat

A youth from Surat who stole 196 ATM cards from drug-addicted individuals across various cities in Gujarat has been caught by the Ahmedabad police. The accused used to take advantage of people under the influence of substances by gaining their trust, learning their ATM PINs, and then withdrawing money from their accounts.

The accused targeted drug addicts who were often unaware or careless due to their condition. He offered them food, drinks, or money, pretending to help them, and then cleverly obtained their ATM cards and PINs.

The Shaherkotda police station arrested the suspect after receiving a complaint from one of the victims. Investigations revealed that the accused had withdrawn money from various bank accounts using the stolen cards.

During interrogation, it was discovered that the accused operated in Ahmedabad, Surat, and other cities of Gujarat, stealing cards and PINs in a similar manner.

To carry out this operation, the accused would offer food or money to the victims, pretend to befriend them, and then cleverly watch them enter their PINs or ask for the number directly under some pretext. Once he got access to their ATM cards and PINs, he would withdraw cash from ATMs.

The police are currently investigating how many accounts he accessed, how much money was stolen, and whether anyone else was involved in the scam. Further actions are being taken to identify all victims and determine the total scope of the fraud.