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A suspected fraudster has explained how he allegedly stole bank customers’ PINs by pretending to help them operate automated teller machines in Calabar, Cross River State.
The suspect, whose identity was not disclosed in a statement by the Cross River State Police Command, said he targeted customers who needed assistance at ATM points, withheld their cards and observed them entering their PINs before leaving the premises.
The Cross River State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, disclosed this in a video uploaded to the command’s Facebook page on Tuesday.
Eitokpah said the suspect was arrested on October 6, 2026, over alleged fraud involving unsuspecting ATM users.
Explaining the 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 as customers selected the transactions they wanted to carry out and entered their PINs.
He said, “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.”
Eitokpah said the suspect allegedly memorised customers’ PINs as they entered them, then left the ATM point with the information needed to carry out fraudulent transactions elsewhere. The customers would subsequently discover that their cards were missing and their accounts had been debited.
The police spokesman 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 tracking 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 cautious when using ATMs and avoid handing their cards or PINs to strangers offering assistance.
