The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested twin brothers, Obike David and Obike Stanley, notorious for stealing money from unsuspecting bank customers by swapping their ATM cards. The duo had been operating around ATM stands in the FCT, where they pretended to assist customers who appeared unfamiliar with the machines, only to switch their cards and later withdraw money from their accounts.
The brothers were paraded on Wednesday in Abuja, where David detailed their method of operation. According to him, they typically approached ATM users who needed help, especially those struggling to operate the machine. During the process, they would activate the cardless option, ask the victim to slot in their card, and then trick them into believing that their card had been swallowed by the machine. Once the customer left to report the issue, the brothers would eject the card and leave with it.
David recounted how they were caught after an alert ATM user noticed that the card returned to him was not his own. Realizing the swap, the customer raised the alarm, leading to their arrest by the police.
Stanley, who joined his brother in the criminal activity after losing his job as a plumber at a local construction company, confessed that they had made approximately N700,000 in the last six months through these fraudulent withdrawals.
Stanley also urged banks to implement stricter measures to monitor those accessing their ATM galleries, to prevent others from falling victim to similar scams.
The FCT Police Command has warned the public to be vigilant when using ATMs and to report any suspicious activities immediately to prevent further occurrences of such crimes.
