Images of suspected ATM hackers released

KUALA LUMPUR - Police have released images of some of the suspects who drained out stacks of cash from ATMs in branches belonging to Affin Bank, Al Rajhi Bank and Bank Islam.

Bukit Aman vowed on Tuesday to bring to justice the Latin American hackers who stole about RM3mil by hacking into automated teller machines (ATM) in three states over the weekend.

Police said the suspects hacked the machines by inserting a disc into the ATMs’ CD-ROMs.

Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Seri Mortadza Nazarene said initial investigations revealed that the suspects would open the top panel of the ATM machines using a ‘common key’ and insert the disc and infect the machines with a virus known as “ulssm.exe”.

“After taking out the CD, they will close the panel and syndicate members would then withdraw all the money out of the ATM by typing codes into the key panel, which they receive via telephone from an accomplice,” he said.

The suspects would block the ATM slots with objects like SIM cards, paper or cigarette butts to stop other bank customers from withdrawing cash from the ATMs, he said.

“PDRM is committed in stopping this crime down to its roots to keep the public’s confidence in our local banking institutions.

“We also call on members of the public with information to come forward to assist police in investigations, by contacting SAC Kamaruddin at 019-6000135 or 03-2616839,” said Comm Mortadza.