KARACHI – About 600 Pakistani customers of a private bank were deprived of millions of rupees after hackers attacked their accounts through ATM (automated teller machine) cards.
The high-level hacking unearthed after the customers, who are suffering from mental agony and inconvenience, lodged complaints about unauthorized withdrawal from their accounts with the bank, Habib Bank Limited.
On the other hand, the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) cybercrime wing has launched an investigation into the incidents after HBL approached it، revealing that 579 account holders have been deprived of around Rs10.2 million in the recent attack.
An FIA official told The Express Tribune, “An ATM installed at Khayaban-e-Ittehad in Karachi has been cited as the target of the attack”. Other ATM includes Dolmen Mall, Karachi, which such cases of unauthorised withdrawal have been reported in Islamabad.
Following the presence of bugs in the system, the bank blocked cards of users taking precautionary measures to save them from further loss.
Talking to the media outlet, Naveed Asghar, a corporate and marketing executive of the HBL, suggested that the affected customers did not need to worry as the bank would compensate them for their losses.
He added that HBL had over 10m customers and the number of persons affected was low, adding that hacking through skimming devices was a global issue. He further said that efforts were being made to trace the culprits.
Meanwhile, the State Bank of Pakistan has sprung into action after learning about the fraud through the media. Abid Qamar, a spokesperson of the central bank, said that information regarding the hacking of accounts has been sought from the HBL, adding that he will be able to comment on the issue after reviewing the information.
The FIA had arrested some Chinese and Pakistani nationals for their alleged involvement in such kind of cases under sections of the Electronic Transactions Ordinance and the Pakistan Penal Code for withdrawing cash fraudulently.
