Romanian and British authorities dismantle criminal ATM fraud network

Law enforcement authorities from Romania and the United Kingdom have taken down a criminal network that was involved in ATM fraud.

According to Europol and Eurojust, who supported a joint investigation team of the Romanian and British authorities, the members of the criminal organization used specialized computer programs and devices to illegally withdraw cash from ATMs.

Most of the money was stolen in the United Kingdom. The perpetrators collected the money using the so-called Transaction Reversal Fraud (TRF) method.

First, suspects removed an ATM’s screen. Then, they inserted a bank card to request funds.

Before the money was dispensed, they cancelled the transaction. This allowed them to reach inside the machine and take the cash before it was retracted.

The Romanian National Police and the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service believe that the suspects managed to steal approximately €580,000.

During an operation in Romania on July 23rd, police officers identified and arrested two suspects. A total of 18 places were searched, where officers found luxury cars, jewellery, and electronic devices. These goods were seized by the police, as well as expensive real estate.

Law enforcement authorities believe the suspects were also involved in other criminal activities, including skimming, forging electronic means of payment and transport cards, and conducting so-called bin attacks. The latter is a type of card fraud carried out using software designed to identify card numbers and generate illicit income through fraudulent payments.

The criminal network was formed last year in the Romanian city of Bacău and primarily consisted of family members and friends. They adopted a derogatory term aimed at the police as their trademark, which they used on social media, on custom license plates, and on clothes they wore.

In December 2024, law enforcement conducted an operation against the group in the United Kingdom, leading to eight arrests. The recent operation in Romania was a follow-up action against the criminal organization.

Europol provided data analysis support, organized meetings to prepare for the operation on the ground, and sent an analyst to Romania to help local police officers in their investigation. Eurojust supported the joint investigation team and assisted with the preparation of the operation in Romania.