NBI warns public vs ATM skimmers

MANILA, Philippines -  At least six persons this year alone complained to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that they lost money to thieves using skimming devices on automated teller machines (ATMs), prompting an official to warn the public yesterday.

NBI cybercrime division executive officer Victor Lorenzo told The STAR that the figure does not include those who reported their losses to the police or the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

He said the NBI suspects that a group of Bulgarians, working with Filipinos, is behind the skimming devices being placed on ATMs. “The scheme had already netted at least P30 million in terms of reported losses and there had been reports that a lot of people been victimized,” Lorenzo said.

He said they have monitored incidents of ATM skimming as early as 2010 and the banking industry confirmed its existence last year.

Lorenzo said most people thought that these incidents were isolated cases until a Bulgarian was arrested by the Makati police last year.

Lorenzo said the syndicate used to operate in Europe and most cases were reported in Bulgaria. However, the group is now operating in the country although the bureau is not sure of the extent of the group’s operation, he added.