A GOOD Samaritan who upon finding an ATM card tried to search for the owner by posting pictures of it online immediately gave an opportunity to a cyber swindler who used the unmasked number and security code to spend 20,000 baht on an online shopping spree, Thai Rath newspaper reported today (Oct. 2, 2020).
Mr. Phonkrit Phonchanthuek, 34, a music instrument salesman, said just as he walked out of the bathroom at a shopping mall in Nakhon Ratchasima province at 7.35 p.m. on Wednesday September 30 he heard the Bangkok Bank ATM machine making a loud sound.
Upon looking, he saw that an ATM card had been left behind so he quickly took it to the public relations desk and at 7.40 p.m. an announcement for the owner of this card to come and collect it was made across the mall.
Then at 7.50 p.m. he posted photos of the card, showing both the ATM number up front and the three-digit security code at rear, to a provincial news group.
Just 10 minutes later the online thief spent 20,000 baht against this card on cyber shopping.
Phonkrit said he apologised to the card owner for falling into this trap and has been forgiven but the owner has reported the cyber crime to the police to track down the thief.
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Top: Phonkrit points to the ATM machine where the card was left behind. Photo: Thai Rath
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