Standard Chartered Bank client’s debit card ‘cloned, over Tk 60,000 stolen’

A Standard Chartered Bank client has lost money to ATM fraud close on the heels of similar incidents last month that sent shock waves through Bangladesh’s banking system.

Abdur Rahim Badaland Nurul Islam Hasibbdnews24.com
Published : 8 March 2016, 04:36 PM
Updated : 8 March 2016, 06:16 PM

Shahreen Haq, the account holder, has filed complaints with the bank and police, saying her debit card had been forged and used for shopping.

On Tuesday, she told bdnews24.com that someone used a fake version of her ATM card and made purchases worth over Tk 60,000 on Monday night, though the original card was with her at home.

Police are still investigating a fraud ring that used skimming devices to steal bank client information and clone cards to withdraw hundreds of thousands of taka from ATM booths of several banks.

A group of foreigners have been found to be linked with the racket.

The banks have refunded the victims of fraud the money withdrawn.

But Shahreen, who works at the international NGO, World Fish, alleged StanChart “did not even acknowledge my email” at first.

The bank’s Head of Corporate Affairs Bitopi Das Chowdhury did not respond to bdnews24.com’s call for comment.

Shahreen told bdnews24.com that an executive from the bank called her later and apologised.

“The official said the bank will refund me. But it will take time,” she said.

Ramna police Sub-Inspector Tapas Kumar said Shahreen had filed a general diary on Monday night. “We’ll look into it.”

The client said she held a ‘Premium Debit Card’ of Standard Chartered Bank. She gets an SMS alert for every transaction through the number ‘2727’.

On Monday night, she received an SMS at 9:11pm from that number, saying Tk 50,700 had been paid using her VISA Shopping Card.

“I was surprised. I was at home and the card was with me,” she said.

Shahreen said the message did not carry the usual last line of a regular message - “call 16233 for enquiries”, which aroused her suspicion.

“So, I was sure that my card has been hacked or cloned.”

“Again, after 20 minutes, at 9:31pm, I received another SMS which said Tk 11,990 was paid from my debit card.

“By then I was certain that I was in trouble. Somebody had cloned my card and is paying from it.”

However, none of the SMS said where the money was spent.

Shahreen said she was shocked at the service of the bank. “The whole day went by, but the bank could not come up with any satisfactory reply. This is my salary account.”

“I had called the bank’s customer care centre right after receiving the two SMS and I spoke with one ‘Ms Samira’ and requested her to block my card.

“She blocked it and recorded my complaint. I had received another SMS from 2727 mentioning my complaint reference number.

“After that, one Mr Sanjoy called me from the bank. He assured me that my complaint would be looked into.”

“Later in the morning (on Tuesday), I lodged an official complaint with the bank through my official email and demanded refund of my money at the earliest possible time,” Shahreen said.

“But I did not get any acknowledgement. I emailed again, and am still waiting,” she had said at around 4pm.

She, however, got a call from a bank official two hours later.