Kolkat: An 85-year-old man from Patuli has become the sixth senior citizen to be cheated in a series of ATM card-swap frauds in south Kolkata.The incident happened around 6.30 am on Nov 11 at an ATM near Ramgarh in Patuli. According to the police complaint, the elderly man was trying to withdraw money when some unknown people approached him and offered help.The fraudsters saw his ATM PIN and secretly exchanged his real debit card with a fake one. The man thought the ATM was not working and left the kiosk. Soon after, the accused used his card and PIN to withdraw Rs 10,000 from his account.Police have registered a case of cheating and criminal conspiracy.Senior citizens have been targeted in areas such as Behala, Jadavpur and Patuli. The Kolkata Police Detective Department is now helping local police stations trace the gang.Police have also issued safety advice for ATM users, especially elderly people. They have asked people not to accept help from strangers inside ATM kiosks. If someone tries to distract them, they should cancel the transaction immediately.Before using an ATM, customers should check the card slot, keypad and nearby panels for any suspicious device. They should cover the keypad fully while entering the PIN. The PIN should never be written on the card or shared with anyone.If a card or cash gets stuck in the machine, customers should stay inside the kiosk and call the bank’s official helpline. They should not trust strangers or phone numbers written near the ATM.Similar cases have been reported in southwest Kolkata since Oct. On Nov 6, a 70-year-old man was cheated of Rs 1,27,595 at an ATM in East Behala’s Muchipara area. In another case, an 87-year-old man from Ho Chi Minh Sarani lost Rs 40,000 in a similar fraud at Bakultala near Diamond City West.Police are checking CCTV footage and digital transaction records to identify and arrest the accused..
