CEBU, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) - 7 has arrested three Romanian nationals last night in relation to the alleged skimming that hit automated teller machines of the Land Bank of the Philippines.
The three were identified as Lonup Alesandrou, Razvan Aurelian, and Cosal Ion.
At around 1 p.m. yesterday, the NBI invited the three suspects for questioning. Hours later at 6 p.m., after the court issued a search warrant, the NBI brought the suspects back to their condominium in Lahug, Cebu City and, there, NBI personnel found evidence against them.
The NBI retrieved microchips and ATM cards from the condominium.
It was last Wednesday when Land Bank representatives sought the help of the NBI.
The bank also submitted materials to aid the investigation, including bank records of those affected by the ATM skimming and footages from its Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras.
In fact, it was in the CCTV footage that the vehicle the three suspects used was seen while at the bank’s vicinity.
Skimming involves thieves using an electronic device to steal personal information stored in a card like the PIN. Usually, a counterfeit card reader is placed over the ATM’s real card slot. When the card user inserts the card into the ATM, the counterfeit reader then scans and steals the card information.
In the recent incidents, cardholders complained of unauthorized withdrawals from their accounts ranging from P20,000 to P100,000.
Statement
Land Bank said the skimming incident has affected ATM card holders of its branches in Banilad, Cebu City and Mandaue City.
Initial investigation showed that a skimming device was installed at the Land Bank ATM in Mandaue but it was discovered and removed immediately.
Traces of skimming were detected in Land Bank Banilad where around 50 accounts were confirmed affected.
The bank has blocked over 2,000 accounts to ensure protection and advised holders to visit the depository branch to rest their Personal Identification Numbers or PINs for regular cardholders, or request for a card replacement for Visa debit cardholders.
Land Bank encouraged its clients to download the bank’s mobile app to ensure protection.
“Cardholders are encouraged to download the Bank’s mobile banking app and take advantage of the Mobilock facility which will allow them to instantly lock or unlock their ATM cards for protection against fraudulent usage,” the bank’s statement reads.
The application can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Inside job?
At the Capitol, Governor Hilaro Davide III called on Land Bank to look into the possibility of an inside job.
“I believe nga naa na tingali na sulod gyud ba. Of course I’m not accusing LandBank of kanang kuan pero mas maayo kung ila ng tan-awon gyud ba. Maybe some maldito pud mang-hack,” he said.
Vice Governor Agnes Magpale, however, does not share the sentiment.
“I doubt its inside job kay daghan na unta nabiktima… Dili man kaayo rampant. Karon, mura'g sporadic pa kaayo. Gipili lang ang victims randomly. But I hope it won’t be that rampant,” she said.
Magpale urged all banking institutions to install CCTV surveillance cameras in all their ATM machine booths.
“CCTV cameras are vital in identifying and apprehending culprits. They are very effective,” she said. (FREEMAN)