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A suspected fraudster has explained how he allegedly stole bank customers’ personal identification numbers (PINs) by pretending to help them operate automated teller machines in Calabar, Cross River State.
The suspect, whose identity was not disclosed by the Cross River State Police Command, allegedly targeted customers who needed assistance at ATM points, withheld their cards and observed them entering their PINs before leaving the premises.
The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, disclosed this in a video uploaded to the police command’s Facebook page on Tuesday.
Eitokpah said the suspect was arrested on October 6, 2026, over alleged fraud involving unsuspecting ATM users.
Explaining his alleged method, the suspect said he approached customers who appeared to need help and exploited their willingness to trust him.
“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.
He added, “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.”
According to the suspect, he watched customers select their preferred transactions and enter their PINs before leaving the ATM point.
“And you’ll choose a transaction which you want to perform. It’s either withdrawal or transfer or inquiry. By the time you click on any of them, ask you to put your password, to put your password, and confirm your password, I will leave the premises,” he said.
Eitokpah said the suspect allegedly memorised customers’ PINs as they entered them before leaving with the information needed to carry out fraudulent transactions elsewhere.
The victims would later discover that their bank cards were missing and their accounts had been debited, according to the police spokesman.
Police Hunt Suspect’s Alleged Accomplice
Eitokpah added that the suspect allegedly worked with a getaway driver who was still being sought by the command.
He said the divisional police officer responsible for the area had been monitoring the suspect and had previously held meetings with bank managers to address reported fraudulent activities around ATM points.
The police urged members of the public to remain vigilant when using automated teller machines and avoid handing their bank cards or PINs to strangers offering assistance.
Customers were also advised to cover the ATM keypad while entering their PINs and seek assistance directly from authorised bank personnel when necessary.
