A Trinidadian is among two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nationals, held on suspicion of ‘skimming’ in Suriname
Skimming is a form of fraud in which criminals copy the details of a debit card to steal money from their victims.
The police said that they have arrested a 40-year-old Trinidadian and a 39-year-old Guyanese after a woman last week filed a report indicating that a large amount of money had disappeared from her bank account.
The statement obtained from her bank showed that an amount of SRD 10,000 (One SRD =US$0.03) had been withdrawn from an ATM in Paramaribo and that a payment of SRD 28,000 had been made with a debit card at an electronics store in the capital.
The woman said she had not made these transactions and filed a report with the police.
The police said the two Caribbean nationals were later arrested and that it has become apparent that the two men must know more about a series of debit card fraud cases in recent days.
Police said they found and confiscated 94 counterfeit debit cards in the suspects’ vehicle. The case is now being further investigated by the Fraud Department of the Suriname Police Force.
On Thursday, the Surinamese Bankers Association (SBA) issued a warning to citizens to be alert because cases of debit card fraud had been discovered.
The Suriname Cyber Security Incident Response Team (SURCSIRT) of the Directorate of National Security also reported the increase in skimming cases and called on citizens to be alert.
Since last Tuesday, the SURCSIRT has received various reports of skimming activities at ATMs in Paramaribo. SURCSIRT is currently conducting a large-scale investigation into these activities with the stakeholders.