Nigeria: Cross River Police arrest ATM fraud suspect

By Zuleihat Owuiye, Nigeria

CALABAR, Cross River State —* The Cross River State Police Command has arrested a suspected fraudster accused of defrauding bank customers by stealing their Automated Teller Machine (ATM) PINs under the guise of offering help.

The arrest was confirmed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sunday Eitokpah, in a video statement published on the Command’s official Facebook page on Tuesday, October 21, 2026.

According to the police, the suspect was apprehended on October 6, 2026, following intelligence and complaints from victims who had been defrauded at various ATM points across Calabar metropolis.

Police authorities did not disclose the identity of the suspect as investigation is still ongoing, but confirmed that he is currently in custody and has made confessional statements detailing his mode of operation.

Speaking during the parade, the suspect explained that he deliberately stationed himself around busy ATM galleries, particularly during weekends and end-of-the-month periods when banks experience high customer traffic.

His primary targets, according to his confession, were customers who appeared unfamiliar with ATM operations, elderly customers, and those who seemed in a hurry or confused.

The suspect said he would approach such customers and offer to help them operate the machine. In the process of pretending to assist, he would distract the victim, withhold their ATM card, and memorize their Personal Identification Number (PIN) as they typed it.

After obtaining the card and PIN, he would quickly leave the premises and later use the details to make unauthorized withdrawals and transfers from the victims’ accounts.

ASP Eitokpah described the method as a common form of social engineering fraud, where criminals exploit trust and willingness to accept help in public places. He noted that similar cases have been reported in other parts of the state in recent months.

The Police Command used the opportunity to warn members of the public to be extra cautious when using ATMs, especially at night or in isolated locations.

Eitokpah advised bank customers to never disclose their PINs to anyone, including persons who claim to be bank officials or Good Samaritans. He stressed that banks have customer care staff inside banking halls who are authorized to assist, and no customer should accept help from strangers outside.

He also urged customers to immediately report any incident of withheld cards, suspicious persons loitering around ATM points, or unauthorized transactions to the nearest police station and their bank.

“Our men are on patrol around banking areas, but we need the public to cooperate with us. Do not allow a stranger to operate your ATM card for you. Your PIN is personal and secret. Once someone knows it, your money is not safe,” Eitokpah said.

The arrest in Calabar comes amid growing concerns over ATM-related fraud across Nigeria. Despite increased deployment of security cameras and introduction of chip-and-PIN cards, fraudsters continue to devise new tricks to defraud unsuspecting customers.

Security experts say the most common forms of ATM fraud in the country include shoulder surfing where criminals watch customers enter PINs, card trapping where a device is used to retain cards in the machine, and outright theft through deception.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have repeatedly warned Nigerians to adopt safe banking habits, including changing PINs regularly, covering the keypad when typing, and using ATMs located inside banking premises rather than isolated galleries.

In Cross River State, police say they have intensified surveillance around banks and have arrested several suspects in connection with similar offences in the last year. The Command assured residents that it would continue to clamp down on financial criminals to protect citizens and their hard-earned money.

The police advised anyone who believes their ATM card has been compromised to immediately contact their bank to block the card, request a statement of transactions, and lodge a formal complaint at a police station with evidence of the unauthorized withdrawals.

The suspect, according to the police, will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation.

Meanwhile, the Cross River State Police Command has called on members of the public who may have been victims of the suspect to come forward and assist with ongoing investigation by reporting at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Calabar.