Chinese nabbed with fake ATM cards

Four Chinese citizens were arrested in Bangkok on Wednesday with 65 counterfeit ATM cards used to withdraw cash at several locations in the capital.

The Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECSD) apprehended three men - Zhong Xiaoping, Yang Haichang and Lui Ganzhou - and one woman Huang Zhihong at a hotel in Yaowarat.

ECSD police also seized 65 fake ATM cards, a skimmer, a notebook computer, five mobile phones and 17 pieces of paper recording pin codes of the counterfeit cards during a search of their room.

Acting unit chief Thongchai Wonsriwattanakul said the arrests followed a request from Kasikornbank to look for a gang withdrawing cash from ATM machines in Bangkok.

The data in the seized cards showed the particulars of banks in several countries including the United States, Kuwait, Bahrain, India, Australia and the United Arab Emirates.

The suspects allegedly claimed the money they withdrew was sent to their gang leader in Jiangsu province in China, while they received 10% of the total stolen, but officers suspect they were lying, Pol Col Thongchai said.

The four were charged with possing counterfeit ATM cards and equipment used to produce fake electronic cards.