KATHMANDU: A total of 30 hackers, mostly Chinese nationals, involved in cashing out from ATMs have been arrested so far in Nepal in the last 7 years.

The arrest of five Chinese hackers last Saturday for their involvement in hacking the ATM system in Kathmandu is the latest such instance. Police arrested five Chinese nationals in Kathmandu and seized over 10,000 USD from their possession.

Chief of Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu SSP Uttamraj Subedi, the hackers were arrested while stealing millions of money from various bank accounts by forging the ATM cards in Kathmandu.

They allegedly injected malware into the Nepal Electronic Payment System to siphon off cash from the ATMs.

This has not been the only such case of hacking incidents. There has been a spate of such incidents before as well. For instance, Nepal Police arrested five persons — three Indian nationals and two Nepalis – last year in September involved in stealing millions of rupees from ATM booths of Kathmandu by forging ATM cards.

If the latest data of Nepal Police Headquarters is to be believed, a total of 30 persons involved in cashing out from ATMs have been arrested so far in the last 7 years.

SSP Umesh Raj Joshi, joint-spokesperson, Nepal Police, informed that police have succeeded in seizing millions of rupees from the hackers. According to him, Chinese nationals top the list when it comes to stealing money from Nepali banks.

In 2013, a team of Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police nabbed four Chinese nationals from Thamel area alleged of stealing money from the Thamel-based Nabil Bank by forging ATM cards.

Former DIG of Nepal Police, Hemanta Malla said cases of ATM breach have been on a rise in the country and elsewhere. According to him, unlike in Nepal, forging a debit or a credit card is not considered a new approach to crime in developed countries. However, he suggests, it is high time that all stakeholders concerned need to be highly cautious.

ATM malware has developed rapidly over the past decade throughout the world. Even the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation, mostly called Europol, has highlighted the emerging threat of ATM malware. It has further warned that ATM targeting incidents are likely to rise in the future.

Preventing ATM fraud

Experts suggest that banks need to increase ATM security, maintain extreme cautiousness, and introduce secured cards

Account-holders need to check statement regularly, change their pin codes periodically, and never give pin code to anybody. Customers also need to keep SMS alert so that they would be informed about any transactions immediately.