New Delhi, May 26 (PTI) Two men have been arrested for allegedly duping vulnerable ATM users particularly the elderly by offering to help them and then swapping their debit cards with identical-looking stolen ones, an official said on Monday.

The duo, identified as Asif (25) and Talib alias Kallu (25), were held on May 23 in Delhi's Shahdara area. They would use the real cards that they had swapped to withdraw cash or make purchases, he said.

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“The accused loitered near ATM kiosks and approached people who appeared confused or elderly. Offering unsolicited assistance, one of them would closely observe the victim entering their PIN while pretending to help,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Vikram Singh said.

At an opportune moment, they would swap the victim's card with a similar-looking one and leave the scene before the victim realised the fraud. The use of a stolen scooter allowed rapid movement between ATM locations, helping them avoid detection, the DCP said.

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The breakthrough came when police received a tip-off that the suspects, previously involved in vehicle theft and financial fraud, would be travelling to the Shahdara-Maujpur area on a stolen scooter, he said.

A police team laid a trap at Kardampuri Nala Road and arrested both accused. The scooter was reported stolen in August 2024 from Krishna Nagar. A total of 26 stolen ATM cards were found with Asif and 15 with Talib, the officer said.

"CCTV footage from an ATM in Kalyanpuri showed the suspects swapping a card and spying on a PIN, while another clip from a shoe store in Burari showed Asif using one of the stolen cards to shop for sportswear," the official said.

“Both men have extensive criminal records in Uttar Pradesh. Asif has eight previous cases, including under the Arms Act and Gangster Act. Talib is involved in seven criminal cases, including theft, robbery and assault,” the DCP said, adding that further investigation is underway to identify more victims.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)