Pair charged after ATM fraud scam in Vancouver

Two men have been arrested and charged for allegedly tampering with ATMs in Vancouver to trap customers' bank cards and secretly record their PINs.

Vancouver police said suspects targeted machines at night. They're accused of settingup a small camera on the ATM to capture a customerentering aPIN, then installing a deviceto trap the bank card in the slot after a transaction.

"Everything would look OK as you put your card in, complete your transaction, but your card would not be returned to you," saidConst. JasonDoucette.

The officer said suspects "took the extra step" of scrubbing customer service contact information from the ATMs so customers would need to leave the machineto call for help.

Once cardholders left, offenders would grab the card and use the camera footage to obtain the PIN.

The investigation was launched after Scotiabankofficialscalled policeto reportcompromised machines in early May, but a statement said the scam wasn't limited to that particular bank.

Arrests made

Four people were arrestedafter police searched a home near Pacific Boulevard in Vancouver on Friday. Two were released andtwo were charged.

Catrlin Virgil Diugu, 37, has pleaded guilty to a fraud-related offence. Liviu-Marius Dogariu, 33, has been charged with possessing a device to obtain computer service.

Doucette said both men areRomanian tourists. The officersaid it appears as though they're part of a group making their way from Ontario to B.C.

Anyone whose card gets stuck in an ATM is asked to call police or their bank's customer service line. Doucettewarned customers against leaving the trapped card unattended.

The officer said investigators are still working to determine how much money may have been lost.

Dogariu is set to appear in court on June 5.