Six Romanians plead guilty to cloning ATM cards

Dec 31, 2009, 1:20 GMT

Singapore - Six of the eight Romanians have pleaded guilty on charges in a Singapore court for crimes related to unauthorized money withdrawals from automated teller machines (ATM) using cloned cards, it was reported Thursday.

The Straits Times said that Rus Daniel, Durdea Gheorghe Dumitru, Asandi Dirpes Alin, Valeriu Georgian Dumitru, Neagoe Marius and Bogdan Adrian Carare were participants in the international syndicate. They were hired in Romania or London to use clone cards to withdraw cash from ATMs in Singapore.

But Hermina Erdie, 37, and her husband Krisztian Ardelean, 25, who are believed to have joined the syndicate while on honeymoon in Singapore, are disputing some facts in the prosecution case, with their hearing to continue Thursday.

The eight operated separately but by same method, using clone cards encoded with stolen ATM card data. They used laptop computers, card encoders and mobile phones.

One offender remains at large, said the report.

Singapore's Commercial Affairs Department had received a tip, but by the time the Romanians were arrested in early July, they had withdrawn 25,400 Singapore dollars.

The offence of ATM card fraud carries a fine of 50,000 Singapore dollars and a prison term of up to 10 years.