2 Bulgarians arrested for ATM skimming

MANILA, Philippines - Two Bulgarian men were arrested in Makati City on Thursday for automated teller machine (ATM) skimming, an official said yesterday.

Angelo Nicolay, 36, and Svetlin Hristov, 40, were caught removing a keypad overlay from an ATM, according to Senior Superintendent Gilbert Sosa, director of the Philippine National Police’s Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG).

The keypad overlay captures a cardholder’s personal identification number, Sosa said. With the information, ATM skimmers can clone a card and make unauthorized withdrawals from the cardholder’s account.

ACG police officers and representatives of the Bank Security Managers Association made the arrest.

Sosa urged victims of this type of fraud to report the crime to the ACG, which will help them track down and file charges against the culprits.

He said the two Bulgarians will be charged for violating the access device law.