Your card never left your hand. Your PIN stayed secret. Yet ₹80,000 vanished overnight.
Sounds terrifying, right?
According to industry reports, more than 29,082 cases of internet, debit, and credit card fraud were reported in the financial year 2024 in India, resulting in losses of ₹1,457 crore.
ATM card cloning isn’t just a headline anymore; it’s happening to everyday Indians across cities and towns. A question might arise in your mind: Can a cloned card be used at an ATM? Let’s find out how with complaints and scam cases.
What is ATM Card Cloning?
ATM card cloning is a serious fraud. Criminals secretly copy your debit or credit card information.
They create duplicate cards without your knowledge. These cloned cards drain your bank account.
All this happens while your original card stays safely in your wallet.
Fraudsters use skimming devices, malware, or online breaches to steal data. The process is simpler than you’d think.
A small device on an ATM slot reads your card’s magnetic stripe. A hidden camera captures your PIN. Within hours, your money gets withdrawn from distant ATMs.
ATM Card Cloning Complaints in India
There is not one but multiple complaints reported where victims lost their money in an ATM cloning scam.
SBI Customer Loses ₹80,000 in Roorkee:
Parthasarathy Mukherjee, a resident of Roorkee, was defrauded of ₹80,000 in 2015 by a fraudster who allegedly withdrew the same sum from two ATMs in Delhi.
The shocking part? His card never left his possession.
The Uttarakhand Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ordered SBI to refund the amount after the bank failed to provide necessary evidence, such as CCTV footage to the police.
This case highlights a crucial point: banks must protect ATM kiosks adequately.
What this reveals: Banks bear responsibility when they cannot prove customer negligence. Missing CCTV footage becomes their liability.
Mumbai GPO ATM Fraud: ₹1.19 Lakh Stolen:
According to MRA Marg Police, between 2020 and 2021, 17 fraudulent withdrawals were traced to the ATM installed inside Mumbai GPO, amounting to ₹1,19,100. The scale was massive.
The Assistant Director General in New Delhi received a report from the Payment Channel Division in Bengaluru highlighting 15,288 fraudulent transactions involving cloned debit cards across 356 ATMs nationwide.
Fraudsters used cloned cards from various banks. They systematically targeted postal ATMs.
Red flag: Even government facility ATMs aren’t immune. Location doesn’t guarantee safety.
ICICI Bank Customers Hit Despite EMV Chips:
Cases occurred in Mulund and Thane regions in Mumbai, where 9 ICICI Bank account holders lost money due to EMV chip card skimming. Everyone believed chip cards were clone-proof. They were wrong.
Around ₹20,000 was withdrawn from one customer’s account from an ICICI Bank ATM in Thane while he was at his residence sleeping. His card had an EMV chip. The technology failed.
Reality check: Even advanced chip technology can be compromised. No card is 100% safe from determined fraudsters.
Pune ATM Fraud Cases:
Multiple incidents reported across Pune show organised criminal networks.
In Chandigarh, an ATM card fraud case unfolded when a woman, Jasleen Kaur, reported ₹30,000 being stolen from her bank account across four transactions, despite never sharing her PIN.
Rajasthan Police in Jaisalmer arrested three members of a Saharanpur-based gang and recovered 216 ATM cards of various banks from their possession.
The accused confessed to committing thousands of frauds across multiple states.
How to Report ATM Card Cloning?
Immediate Steps:
- Call your bank instantly – Block your card within minutes
- Note down transaction details – Save all SMS alerts
- File a police complaint – Get an FIR number
Where to Report:
- File a Cyber Crime complaint – Draft complaint under financial fraud.
- Bank Customer Care – Use the helpline number on your card
- Local Police Station – Cybercrime cell in your area
- Bank Branch – File written complaint with transaction details
Need Help?
Facing ATM card cloning fraud? Don’t panic. Time is critical.
Register with us immediately if you’re experiencing this issue. Act fast. Report immediately. Protect your money.
Conclusion
ATM card cloning is a serious threat affecting thousands of Indians annually.
With losses exceeding ₹1,457 crore in the financial year 2024 alone, vigilance becomes essential. Inspect ATMs before use. Cover your PIN always.
Enable transaction alerts immediately.
Banks must maintain CCTV footage and provide adequate security. Consumers must report fraud within 72 hours. Together, we can reduce this growing menace.
Stay alert. Your money’s safety depends on it.
