Romanian Suspect in ATM Scam Arrested and Extradited to UK

An ATM malware developer from Romania is in UK after being extradited for allegedly initiating an infection campaign widely across banks operating in the country. The malicious software understandably helped the thief steal about 1.5m pounds out of the cash machines in United Kingdom. This happened back in 2014 the time a gang to which the man belonged attacked 51 ATMs during one weekend when the banks were going through their holiday. The crooks planted their malicious software straight inside the machines following a brute-force attack after which the malware erased itself for eschewing detection.

All of the cash machines were individually hacked and contaminated with malicious software after which huge volumes of cash were taken out. Already Grigore Paladi and Teofil Bortos, other members belonging to the gang are sentenced with a 12-yr punishment. Finextra.com posted this, October 6, 2016.

Since 2014, over the period, a string of arrests includes of one man based in London who faces sentence of 7-yr imprisonment, while another man mentioned earlier as Grigore Paladi was given 5-yr jail during 2015. And now the latest is of the Romanian man. Investigation is continuing, the London Metropolitan Police has said.

Meanwhile, according to Matthew Mountford, Detective Inspector and London Regional Fraud Team's Chief, it's clear from the extradition that the London Regional Fraud Team is persistent in tracing the culprits of the hack and bringing them to justice for carrying out the ATM thefts. He adds that foreign law enforcement agency's cooperation is extremely high, particularly in Romania.

The Romanian culprit Leahu is under custody till October 28 the time for his appearance at Inner London Crown Court.

The history of ATM scamming is lengthy and storied. At first it involved skimmers appended onto the cash machines that would grab an inserted card's details. Later devices evolved that became tinier, increasingly conspicuous as well as more capable of thwarting stringent safety systems the cards had.

Quite naturally the progress has been towards creating malware, which is injected remotely via breaking into the bank's server alternatively straight inside the ATM machine that contaminates its core connected to the bank.

» SPAMfighter News - 10/13/2016