Three Malaysians Charged With Credit Card Fraud
By M K Anwar & Rol Ezam

Bandar Seri Begawan - The Commercial Crime Investigation Division of the Royal Brunei Police Force nabbed three Malaysian Chinese men aged 25, 29 and 48 Monday for their alleged involvement in theft using "skimmed" credit cards at the ATM of two banks in the capital to make huge cash withdrawals.

The men, Aw Gan Tiam, Kaven Chee and Beh Chin Boon, who were arrested near a hotel and a bank in the capital, were brought to the Bandar Magistrate's Court yesterday to face three charges. All three were unrepresented.

The charges were read to them but no plea was taken pending further investigations to be conducted by the police.

According to the Deputy Public Prosecutor Zelda Skinner, all defendants were arrested three days ago.

Pending further investigation, the Malaysian trio would be remanded at three different police stations.

The first charge stated that they allegedly stole $500 from an HSBC ATM machine at main branch in the capital on August 21 at about 6:25pm.

The second charge stated that they allegedly stole $1,000 from the same ATM machineat about 11:13pm on the same day.

The third charge read that they allegedly stole another $1,000 from the same ATM machine on August 22 at about 12:32am.

The defendants are facing an imprisonment term that may extend to three years, or with a fine, or both if convicted.

The case would be mentioned again on September 7 at 9.30am.

"Skimming" is a new -type of credit card fraud. Information from a legitimate credit card contained on its magnetic strip are copied and placed on another card, hence creating a cloned copy of the authentic credit card.

Victims normally will not realise that their cards have been cloned until they receives their bills.

Information regarding the theft came to light when one of the banks reported the presence of suspicious looking plain plastic cards retained by one of the ATMs.

The plain looking cards contained credit card information and the bank found attempts were made the previous day to make cash withdrawals using them.

Since no funds were available from the bona fide owner of the credit cards, the ATM retained them.

Upon receiving the information, officers from the Commercial Crime Investigation Division quickly initiated surveillance around the capital and other targeted areas where the men were recorded by ATM close circuit cameras attempting to withdraw money using fraudulent plastic cards.

Within three hours the three men were tracked down by the police and following searches on them and their hotel rooms cash amounting to B$58,942, RM6,724 and other currencies in small denominations were found.

Also found were 150 plain plastic cards with black magnetic strips containing what the police said are "skimmed" information from other authentic credit cards. Sixty-six of these cards are believed to have been used to withdraw money by way of cash -advances. Personal Identification Number (PIN) was also found written on all the cards.

Thirty-seven pieces of withdrawal slips from two banks showing the amount of money withdrawn were also discovered.

According to the police, their investigations have found no locals or group of individuals were involved in this crime.

The cards seized and withdrawals made will not affect local credit card holders, the police said. Investigations, however, are still being conducted to find out whether this was the work of a syndicate.

The police warned individuals or group of individuals within or outside the country that officials here have the professional means and capabilities to combat this sort of financial crime.

They added they will not let their guards down in safeguarding the country from being targeted by any individuals or syndicates that aim to breach the nation's financial or banking institutions.

The Commercial Crime Investigation Division assured the public that they are working closely with local banking institutions to ensure that this sort of crime or any financial crime would not be committed in the future that could affect local credit cardholders. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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