POLICE NAME `F` SUSPECT IN BALI ATM SCAMS

Jakarta, Jan 22 (ANTARA) - Police have named a man named 'F' a suspect in the theft of bank customers' money through forged ATM cards and PINs, a spokesman said.

The National Police's chief detective, Commissioner General Ito Sumardi, said here Friday F was suspected of having stolen the money kept at a number of banks in Bali.

F was believed to have been a player in the ATM break-in practice for a long time.

In the meantime, Director for Special Economic Affairs of the Police's Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim), Brig. Gen. Radja Erizman said police arrested F in Jakarta.

He said that F was believed to be involved in the ATM scam in Bali because the 'F' modus operandi was the same as that of the syndicate that hacked the ATMs of national banks in Bali.

Police had also confiscated Rp23 million in cash, computers, several ATM cards and skimmers.

A skimmer is a device that copies information stored on the magnetic strip of customers' ATM cards so that the cards could be duplicated to steal money.

The thieves also use spy cameras to know the personal identification numbers (PINs) of bank customers.

Erizman said police strongly believed F was arrested before for a similar offense.***