TOKYO (TR) – Forged credit cards using bank details leaked from South Africa were used to withdraw more than one billion yen in cash from ATMs around Japan in under three hours earlier this month, authorities said.
An organized criminal group of over 100 suspects illegally withdrew some 1.4 billion yen in cash from ATMs at convenience stores nationwide in a span of 2.5 hours using forged credit cards made with data leaked from a bank in South Africa, police authorities told the Yomiuri Shimbun on Sunday (May 22).
Police suspect the involvement of an international criminal organization, and plan to investigate the case in cooperation with overseas law enforcement agencies.
A source involved with the investigation said cash was illegally withdrawn from ATMs installed at convenience stores in 16 administrative districts, including Tokyo and the prefectures of Kanagawa, Aichi, Osaka and Fukuoka.
A total of some 1.4 billion yen was withdrawn on May 15 in a 2.5-hour timeframe sometime between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m.
