Two held for ATM card swapping theft in Namakkal; 361 cards seized

Two persons from Haryana were arrested for looting money from Automated Teller Machines (ATM) in Namakkal by swapping ATM cards of individuals, and a total of 361 ATM cards were seized from them.

Following the complaints that unidentified persons were cheating the elderly and persons unfamiliar with ATM operations, on the pretext of helping them, in the Paramathi Velur locality, the police formed special teams and inquired. Based on the investigations, the police identified the persons involved as Sandeep (40) and Karamveer (42), natives of Haryana State.

The duo, pretending to help individuals who came to the ATM centres, noted their Personal Identification Number (PIN) and swapped the ATM cards to loot money using the original cards.

For the past two months, the district police, involved in technical inspection and regular monitoring, nabbed the duo and arrested them on Tuesday (October 13, 2026).

The police seized 361 ATM cards, a two-wheeler, two mobile phones, one Point of Sale (PoS) machine, and ₹47,500 from them. The accused used to steal money, escape to Haryana and again return after a gap and loot money again. There are 29 cases registered against Sandeep in various States, including four in Namakkal district and 12 cases against Karamveer.

In a release, the Namakkal District Police said that people should be cautious while withdrawing money from the ATM centres. People should not give their ATM cards to unknown persons who claim to help them. People should be cautious of people who replace their ATM cards and give fake ones. People should not share their ATM card details, ATM PIN, bank password, and OTP with anyone. If people encounter anyone suspicious, they should inform nearby police stations, the police added in the release.