India Sentences Kenyan National to 8 Years for Major ATM Fraud

Two foreign nationals—a 24-year-old Kenyan and a 31-year-old Ugandan—have been arrested in India for their involvement in a sophisticated skimming operation aimed at Indian citizens, as reported by the Indian Express.

Initially in the country on student visas, the pair overstayed their permits and turned to cybercrime, specifically skimming, which involves the illicit acquisition of sensitive information, including credit card details and personal data from automated teller machines (ATMs). Indian law enforcement agencies utilized advanced engineering techniques to locate and apprehend the suspects, which has led to the disbanding of an international skimming ring.

The incidents occurred in Karnataka, approximately 2,146 kilometres from New Delhi. Investigations reveal that in December 2020, the accused were living with five other collaborators in a makeshift hideout disguised as labourers. The suspects employed expired debit cards to install skimming devices within ATM kiosks, effectively cloning cards by capturing users’ data. They would skim the cards in one Indian state and subsequently withdraw the stolen funds in another to obfuscate their activities from authorities.

This operation has been pivotal in solving over 65 similar criminal cases in the region, according to local police. A pinhole camera positioned above the PIN keypad was used to capture the users' PINs, while a skimming device attached to the card slot recorded card information. The system was particularly susceptible to these forms of crime given that the debit cards involved relied on magnetic strip technology.

Following their arrest, the Tumakuru CEN police submitted a chargesheet to the court. On December 30, 2024, the Second Additional District and Sessions Court of Tumakuru convicted the individuals, known as Ivan and Makamu, and sentenced them to eight years in prison. The court emphasized the severity of their offences and the calculated nature of their crimes when determining the sentence.

Consideration was also given to the victim’s rights and the broader societal implications of such cybercrime. In response to this case, banks have shifted from magnetic strips to microchip technology for ATM cards, a move aimed at reducing skimming incidents, as noted by Inspector Sheshadri.