Police Investigate Forged ATM Card Theft in Mon State

By Hintharnee 26 May 2017

MOULMEIN, Mon State — Police are investigating ATM withdrawals using a forged bank card at Ayeyarwady Branch No. 1 in Mon State’s Moulmein (Mawlamyine) Township, Mon State with more than 1.5 million kyats thought to be stolen.

“We found one ATM withdrawal in both March and April, and two withdrawals earlier this month with a forged ATM card,” said police officer Maung Maung of Moulmein Township Police Station.

The case is the first ATM theft in Mon State, said the police officer, and was discovered after a branch in Rangoon noticed something suspicious on an account and the Ayeyarwady head office instructed branches in divisions and states to check, said the police officer.

A total of 1.5 million kyats was withdrawn over the three months, he added.

According to CCTV footage, the person who withdrew the money appears to be a Burmese national. The forged ATM card was believed to be made with foreign technology, according to Maung Maung.

Ma Yi Mon Su, a former customer of Ayeyarwady Bank, complained that the limited choice of banking in Burma meant consumers had to put up with poor service and dubious security.

“I question if banks have taken into consideration the possible risks before they implement a software program … they need to take responsibility for checking cards used in ATMs match accounts,” she told The Irrawaddy.

Assistant general manager of Moulmein Ayeyarwady Bank Daw Yu Yu Aung filed the case with the township police station on Monday, but when questioned about the case, she said she had to speak to her supervisor before commenting.