Rivers Police Arrests Female Member Of ATM Debit Card Swapping Syndicate

Posted by Amarachi on Tue 25th Feb, 2025 - tori.ng

The Rivers Police Image Maker stated that the victim left the ATM without realizing what had happened but soon began receiving debit alerts totalling N523,600.00.

POS

A 35-year-old woman identified as Blessing Daberechi Oleru, who is allegedly a member of a notorious ATM debit card swapping syndicate, has been arrested by the Rivers State Police Command.

The spokesperson for the Rivers State police command, SP Grace Iringe Koko, in a statement released on Tuesday, February 25, stated that the victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, reported the incident on November 26, 2024, at the Olu-Obasanjo Police Station after the suspect swapped his ATM card at a Bank Garrison axis in Port Harcourt.

According to he statement, the victim attempted to withdraw cash from an Automated Teller Machine (ATM), but the machine malfunctioned. Oleru, who was standing nearby pretending to carry out a transaction, offered assistance but instead swapped the victim’s debit card.

The Rivers Police Image Maker stated that the victim left the ATM without realizing what had happened but soon began receiving debit alerts totalling five hundred and twenty-three thousand, six hundred naira (N523,600.00).

“Following a coordinated intelligence operation, police operatives arrested Oleru on February 5, 2025. During interrogation, she confessed to the crime, and a Moniepoint POS machine was recovered from her possession” SP Koko said.

The police spokesperson mentioned that investigation is ongoing, with efforts to apprehend other members of the syndicate while adding that the arrest demonstrates the Rivers State Police Command’s commitment to combating financial crimes and protecting citizens’ interests at all times.