The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) issued a warning to Nigerians, urging vigilance against ATM switch scammers, following a surge in complaints about this criminal activity.
In a statement on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, Mr Dele Oyewale, the Head of Media and Publicity for EFCC, shared insights from the commission’s investigations, revealing a connection between unauthorized withdrawals and ATM Debit Card switching or fraud.
Oyewale explained the scam, stating, “They swap the card in such a hurry that the customer would not notice and at the same time memorize the pin used in trying the fake cards.” He emphasized that this deceitful practice often occurs under the guise of assisting a confused bank customer at an ATM, where the fraudster quickly abandons the victim after the card gets stuck due to a wrong pin.
“This card swapping typically happens in any service delivery point, such as Point of Sale (POS) terminals, and ATM points, among others,” Oyewale cautioned.
The agency also stressed the importance of remaining vigilant at such points to avoid falling victim to these scams.
