Interstate ATM Swapping Gang Busted in Goa; Two Arrested with Dozens of Stolen Cards

Team Goemkarponn

BICHOLIM/CALANGUTE: Goa Police have arrested two men from Haryana for running an elaborate ATM card swapping scam that targeted unsuspecting users in Bicholim and Panaji, and is suspected to be linked to over 100 such crimes across India.

The arrests followed a complaint by 79-year-old Vasudev Sawant from Mayem, who reported that on June 25, two men posing as helpful bystanders at an SBI ATM in Bicholim swapped his card under the guise of assisting him. The accused then withdrew ₹40,000 in multiple transactions using his card at a different ATM nearby.

Police investigation revealed the suspects had rented two Yamaha Fascino scooters in Calangute and were staying at a local guest house. A team from Bicholim Police Station tracked them down and apprehended Sanjay Maheswal, 33, and Sonu Kumar, 32, early on June 27. The two-wheeler scooters were seized, along with over 40 stolen or fraudulent ATM cards, cash, and personal belongings.

Police also linked the same duo to a similar theft reported in Panaji, where on June 26 they allegedly swapped another victim’s card at an HDFC ATM and withdrew ₹1.17 lakh from ATMs in Porvorim. Investigators uncovered that the gang travelled from Haryana through multiple states—including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka—before arriving in Goa on June 25 to carry out their crimes.

Their modus operandi involved tampering with ATM slots using adhesive to cause malfunctions and then approaching customers under the pretext of helping them, watching their PIN entry, and swapping their cards. Police said one accomplice remains absconding, and further investigation is ongoing to trace additional members of the network and any other offences in Goa or beyond.