Six Affin Bank ATMs hacked and RM1.27million stolen

KUALA LUMPUR - A total of RM1.271mil has been stolen from six automated teller machines (ATMs) belonging to Affin Bank Berhad and Affin Islamic Bank Berhad in Johor, Malacca and Selangor, Affin Bank said in a statement Monday.

It said the ATMs were tampered with on Saturday, resulting in cash being stolen from the machines.

The affected ATMs are located in Johor Baru, Batu Pahat and Taman Molek in Johor, Malacca Raya as well as PJ State and USJ in Selangor, it said.

"The incident has been reported and the bank is in close cooperation with the police in investigating the matter," it said.

The bank said there had been no breach or compromise of customer data.

Pending the outcome of the police investigation, the bank said, it had immediately put in additional control measures in all ATMs at branches and off-site locations.

"The bank is closely monitoring to ensure that our customers continue to do their banking safely," it said. - Bernama

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RM530,600 ATM loss to hackers

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of RM530,600 was stolen from two automated teller machines (ATM) on Saturday in what is believed to be a hacking incident using phone SIM card and sophisticated technology.

The hacking incident involving ATM in two Affin Bank branches in Johor and Selangor was the first case in the country after the cloning of ATM cards from 1997 to 2002.

Subang Jaya District Police Chief ACP Yahya Ramli said the hacking incident was believed to be the work of an international syndicate from South America.

"The suspects withdrew money hundreds of times from two Affin Bank branches in one day. They stole the money without breaking the ATMs," he added.

The case is investigated under Section 4 (1) of the Computer Crime Act 1997.

In the first incident at 9.48am, the manager of Afffin Bank branch in Batu Pahat, Johor, found the ATM not functioning and that some money was missing.

Johor police said the information system recorded withdrawal of RM50 totalling 5,103 notes but there were only 27 notes in the ATM.

"Suspecting something amiss, the manager contacted the police and the investigation found no sign that the ATM was broken," said sources.

Recording by CCTV cameras at the bank showed three suspects, believed to be from South America, making a series of withdrawals.

The suspects aged between 20 to 30 years withdrew a total of RM265,000. Yahya said the same method was used a few hours later at Affin Bank branch in USJ Subang Jaya.

Two male suspects, believed to be from South America, withdrew money from the ATM 137 times at 5.30pm. The police are trying to trace the suspects involved by studying recording by CCTV cameras at the bank premises.

Cloning of ATM cards occurred when ATM cards and credit cards were using the magnetic tape at the back of the cards. The crime was eliminated after Bank Negara Malaysia enforced the chip and magnetic tape for all ATM cards and credit cards in 2003.

Recently, Sabah police busted a Sarawak syndicate behind two failed attempts to crack open cash machine vaults at two banks in Kota Kinabalu.

The suspects aged between 23 and 55 attempted to pry open an ATM of Ambank at Damai Plaza on Sept. 16 and a cash deposit machine (CDM) at Hong Leong Bank at Alammesra along Jalan Sulaman on Sept. 17. - DE