Two Bulgarians have been arrested for allegedly using skimmers and cameras to steal ATM card numbers and passwords across Pattaya.
Plaiyski Ventseslav, 40, and Ralev Borislav, 42, were taken into custody in a wooded area east of Soi Buakaow Jan. 19. Police had chased the duo into the jungle after Krungthai Bank employees called police alleging the two were installing electronic card skimmers and wireless cameras at its ATM booth.
Plaiyski Ventseslav and Ralev Borislav have been arrested and charged with stealing and copying electronic card numbers and counterfeiting.
The gear had been removed from Krungthai by the time the cops showed up and the Bulgarians were suspected of dumping the equipment in the woods. Police recovered only the plastic skimmer tray, but not the hard drive on which card numbers were recorded.
A subsequent search of the pair’s Soi Buakaow guesthouse rooms, however, uncovered a stockpile of electronic card information and the two were arrested by Transnational Crime Coordination Center investigators on charges of stealing and copying electronic card numbers and counterfeiting.
Investigators alleged that that Bulgarians had been rigging number skimmers and tiny cameras to record passwords at various ATMs in Pattaya and warned ATM users to always cover the keypad with their hand while entering passwords.
