Ayomide Awe
A suspected fraudster has reportedly confessed to stealing bank customers’ automated teller machine cards and memorising their personal identification numbers (PINs) by pretending to assist them at ATM points in Calabar, Cross River State.
The suspect, whose identity was not disclosed by the police, allegedly exploited unsuspecting customers who needed assistance with ATM transactions to obtain their cards and PINs before using the information to defraud them.
The Cross River State Police Command spokesperson, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, disclosed this in a video shared on the command’s official Facebook page on Tuesday.
Eitokpah said the suspect was arrested on October 6, 2026, over alleged fraudulent activities targeting ATM users.
In the video, the suspect explained how he allegedly approached customers who appeared confused or required assistance while using ATMs, exploiting their trust to carry out the scheme.
“I do go to the ATM machine to lie in wait for gullible customers who believe whatever I may tell them, and people that seek for help too,” he said.
Explaining his alleged method, the suspect said he manipulated the ATM transaction process while keeping the customers’ cards away from them without their knowledge.
“So, if you call for help or assistance from me, what I do is I put the ATM on the cardless transaction mode and withhold your card. You’ll be thinking your card is inside, but your card is not inside,” he said.
According to him, he watched the customers select their preferred transactions and enter their PINs before leaving the premises with the information he had gathered.
He said the transactions could involve withdrawals, transfers or balance inquiries, adding that he would leave once the unsuspecting customers had entered their passwords.
The police spokesperson explained that the suspect allegedly memorised the customers’ PINs while they attempted to complete their transactions, enabling him to obtain information that could be used to access their accounts fraudulently.
The victims would subsequently discover that their ATM cards were missing and their bank accounts had been debited.
Eitokpah further disclosed that the suspect allegedly operated with a getaway driver, who was still being sought by the police as of the time of the announcement.
He said the divisional police officer responsible for the area had been monitoring the suspect and had previously engaged bank managers in discussions aimed at addressing reported fraudulent activities around ATM points.
The command urged bank customers to remain vigilant when using ATMs, warning them against handing their cards or disclosing their PINs to strangers under the guise of offering assistance.
Customers were also advised to protect their PINs from being observed by others and to contact their banks immediately if their cards went missing or they noticed suspicious transactions.
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