ATM hackers strike in Marikina

A businesswoman fell victim to ATM (automated teller machine) skimming in Marikina City, where she lost P25,000 to hackers who were able to withdraw the money from her account during the long holiday, police said.

Estrella Dy, 53, discovered the withdrawals when she deposited money over the counter in her Banco de Oro (BDO) savings account at the BDO branch on JP Rizal Street, Barangay (village) Sta. Elena, on Monday afternoon.

According to SPO1 Engelbert Aniciete, Dy found out in her bank records that three ATM withdrawals were made from her account at BDO’s Tañong branch on Jan. 17 and 19.

Someone withdrew P10,000 and P5,000 at 11:34 a.m. on Jan. 17; while another P10,000 was withdrawn at 10:45 a.m. on Jan. 19, Aniciete said, quoting the woman’s complaint.

Dy, who runs a tour agency, maintained that she was abroad at the time of the three transactions and that her ATM card was with her the whole time.

Aniciete said investigators had requested a copy of the footage from the bank’s closed-circuit television camera to identify the suspects.

The officer noted that a skimming operation was also discovered at a PSBank ATM at the Blue Wave mall on Sumulong Highway also in Marikina on Saturday, Jan. 17, where a security guard found a device attached to the machine.

The police had yet to receive complaints from depositors involving that ATM, he said.