By Staff Reporter

Bank Card Cloning Epidemic! Innocent Customers' Savings Wiped Out in PNG Banks

11/10/2024

Bank Card cloning fraud is becoming increasingly common in Papua New Guinea, with several customers falling victim to criminals draining their bank accounts. The Bank South Pacific (BSP) has seen a rise in such cases, prompting warnings and action from the banking sector.

Recently, four BSP customers discovered that their debit Visa accounts had been emptied by fraudsters. One of the victims, a local teacher, expressed shock when she found her account depleted at an ATM. She immediately visited the BSP Boroko branch to inquire and was informed that she was the third customer that day to report such an incident. The bank staff explained that multiple customers had reported similar fraudulent activities, with their hard-earned savings stolen.

BSP Group General Manager Retail, Ronesh Dayal, confirmed that card cloning is a significant issue in Papua New Guinea, especially with the use of magnetic stripe cards. He said the banking sector is working closely with regulators to address the issue. “We urge customers to contact their bank immediately if they suspect they’ve been affected by card cloning,” Dayal said. He added that the bank is continually advising customers on the importance of safeguarding their card details.

Meanwhile, a man accused of cloning a bank card and stealing more than K6000 is now facing charges in court. Elson Meauri, 37, from Bereina in Central Province, allegedly used a cloned bank card to steal K6291.20 from the complainant across multiple ATMs in Port Moresby. Police reports indicate that Meauri and an accomplice withdrew K3000 from the Waigani BSP branch and made further purchases at other locations using the stolen card.

The complainant discovered the theft after checking his account at an ATM and obtaining a bank statement. He traced the transactions and reported the matter to the police. A CCTV footage of the taxi used by the accused led to Meauri’s arrest. He has since been formally charged and appeared before the Waigani Committal Court, where Magistrate Paul Puri Nii ordered him to undergo the committal process to contest the allegations.

Card cloning continues to pose a serious risk to customers in Papua New Guinea, with the authorities and banks taking steps to combat the growing trend.

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