The Muvattupuzha police on Friday busted a five-member racket allegedly engaged in ATM fraud.
The accused had allegedly stolen details of debit cards using skimming machines to fabricate duplicate cards and rob account holders of their money.
The arrested were identified as Jinto Joy of Chalakudy, Assi of Kottayam and his brother Ahamadmon, Sharuk of Ambalappuzha, and Manu Joly of Pulluruthi.
Jinto Joy, the alleged kingpin of the gang, was a history-sheeter and had served a jail term.
The accused were arrested during an investigation on a complaint lodged by a Muvattupuzha resident who had lost Rs.1.5 lakh. The money was withdrawn from an ATM in Coimbatore. The complainant had earlier visited a hotel where one of the accused was employed as receptionist. The police said the accused had a history of working as cashiers and receptionists at hotels and malls. They developed a card reader and installed it in swiping machines.
The details of people on their debit cards so retrieved were used to forge cards to withdraw money.
