Romanian caught with card data skimmer in Delhi

A 27-year-old Romanian was caught by the public when he and his associate were allegedly removing a data skimmer and miniature camera they had installed at an ATM in east Delhi’s Jafrabad, police said on Wednesday.

A 27-year-old Romanian was caught by the public when he and his associate were allegedly removing a data skimmer and miniature camera they had installed at an ATM in east Delhi’s Jafrabad, police said on Wednesday.

This is the second such arrest of a Romanian in a similar crime in the past one month. (Reuters/Picture for representation)

His associate, who is also from Romania, escaped. The devices are used to clone details of debit cards. This is the second such arrest of a Romanian in a similar crime in the past one month.

On February 4, five Romanian nationals, including two women, were arrested for allegedly installing data skimmers and miniature cameras in ATMs . A total of 102 gift cards of H&M (Hennes & Mauritz AB), a clothing brand, which they had converted into ATM cards, had been seized from them.

Deputy commissioner of police (northeast) Atul Kumar Thakur said they recovered the electronic device and two plastic cards with magnetic strips from the Romanian man, Isfan Iustin Georgel. “We registered a case of cheating and damaging public property and arrested the Romanian national. A valid Romanian passport and tourist visa were seized from him. Georgel had come to India on March 5. We are looking for his absconding compatriot,” Thakur said.

Around 11 am on Tuesday, Thakur said, the Jafrabad police received information that some locals had seen two foreign nationals tampering with the ATM of a nationalised bank. The suspects tried to escape when the locals surrounded them. “The duo started running after trying to conceal the items they had removed from the ATM. Some people chased them. They caught one suspect with one instrument and two plastic cards but his associate fled,” Thakur said.

During interrogation, an investigator said, the foreigner said the instrument was a data skimmer. He said the device is installed where the debit card is inserted and used to clone details of customers.

A miniature camera, which the police believe Georgel’s friend took away with himself, is installed above the key pads to capture the passwords. “They were supposed to transfer the stolen data to the plastic cards they were carrying with them. The cloned cards were to be used to withdraw money and make purchases. We checked the seized device and found stolen data of some debit cards,” the officer said.