Bulgarian man arrested anew for ATM fraud

Credit to the QCPD.

A Bulgarian national was arrested for the second time for automated teller machine (ATM) fraud early Wednesday morning,  according to the Quezon City Police District.

A security guard noticed Orlin Grozdanov Stoev, 38, making several transactions and taking so much time at the ATM kiosk of a bank in Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City.

Police said Stoev later left on a motorcycle but was tailed by the same guard who saw him making withdrawals again, this time at another bank near Trinity College.

The guard then alerted cops patrolling the area about Stoev’s suspicious activity.

The suspect tried to flee on his motorcycle but was cornered on Banawe Street, where he was arrested around 1 a.m.

Seized from the suspect were 15 cloned black ATM cards; cash in three different currencies amounting to P51,000; a pocket Wi-Fi, a cell phone and several identification cards.

Stoev refused to show his face and answer questions from reporters when presented at the QCPD headquarters in Camp Karingal on Wednesday.

Further investigation showed that the suspect was arrested by the police in Guiguinto, Bulacan province in November last year for the same offense, but he was later released on bail.

The circumstances of his previous arrest were similar to what happened in Quezon City: Stoev also caught the attention of a security guard while making ATM transactions and covering CCTV cameras.

The police in Guiguinto then confiscated 20 assorted foreign ATM cards and three transaction receipts amounting to P40,000 from Stoev.

In a press conference, Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, QCPD director, said the suspect may have used a skimming device to capture information from the ATM card’s magnetic strip.

“For them to gain information from the magnetic strip, they place an improvised keypad. If it is not scrutinized close enough, you wouldn’t think that it’s there. When you use it (ATM card), all the information from the magnetic strip would be captured,” He said.

The QCPD chief added that pin hole cameras were also used to capture personal identification numbers and other information before the cards were cloned.

Eleazar said even if no skimming device was seized from Stoev, the cloned cards were enough evidence to charge him with violation of the Access Devices Regulation Act or Republic Act No. 8484.

Further investigation will be conducted to determine if the suspect is connected to a larger ATM skimming syndicate.