Syndicate behind ATM tampering?

CEBU, Philippines - The automated teller machine that caused problems among employees of a private hospital here might have been tampered with by members of an organized group that local authorities intercepted four years ago.

Chief Inspector Romeo Santander, head of the Provincial Intelligence Branch, said the profile of the recent operation, as well as that of the possible culprits, mirror that of the group's "skimming" operation before.

When installed at an ATM, a skimming device can capture the data from the black stripe at the back of the ATM cards. Devices used are smaller than a deck of cards and are often fastened in close proximity to or over the top of the ATM's factory-installed card reader.

Santander said intelligence monitoring and backtracking led them to 10 members of the organized group. He said pictures of the 10 have been sent to hospitals and banks, institutions that often fall victim to the scheme.

"They were the same with the suspects arrested nila sir Labra (Superintendent Pablo) before…they stay at a hotel using the clone card which they have the authority to transact and they are very professional in doing it…they could be new members," Santander said.

The suspects arrested four years ago are out on bail.

Provincial Police Director Danilo Constantino, meanwhile, said it is better if alarm systems in banks are centralized so that security is unified.

On Easter Sunday, The FREEMAN reported that several employees of the hospital who transacted using the ATM failed to withdraw their salary because the money disappeared from their accounts. This also held true to those who tried to inquire for their remaining balance at the same ATM.

The hospital has confirmed that the employees' salary was deposited prior to the Holy Week and the victims were advised to file a complaint with the bank concerned.

Despite the incident, the Cebu Bankers Club assured ATMs of their member banks are secure. —/JMO (FREEMAN)