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Motorists hit by card clone scam Motorists hit by card clone scam
(about 7 hours later)
Thousands of motorists who use a bank card to buy petrol are thought to have lost millions of pounds in a scam allegedly linked to Tamil rebels. Thousands of motorists who use a bank card to buy petrol are thought to have lost millions of pounds in an international criminal operation.
It is believed cards are being skimmed at petrol stations, whereby the card details and pin numbers are retrieved and money withdrawn from the account. It is believed cards are being skimmed at petrol stations, where the card details and pin numbers are retrieved and money withdrawn from the account.
About 200 of the UK's 9,500 petrol stations are thought to have been hit.About 200 of the UK's 9,500 petrol stations are thought to have been hit.
The Sri Lankan government has claimed its opponents, the Tamil Tigers, are behind the scam. The Sri Lankan government claims the rebel Tamil Tigers are to blame but police say there is no definite link.
Police are investigating complaints made in Edinburgh, Norwich, Bury St Edmunds, Peterborough, Nottingham, Leeds, Bristol and Hull.Police are investigating complaints made in Edinburgh, Norwich, Bury St Edmunds, Peterborough, Nottingham, Leeds, Bristol and Hull.
I knew how much had been taken but how it was taken was an absolute mystery to me Sean Gillespie Your skimming stories
In Hull, the economic crime section of Humberside Police are checking thousands of receipts for fuel bought with credit or debit cards at one petrol station.In Hull, the economic crime section of Humberside Police are checking thousands of receipts for fuel bought with credit or debit cards at one petrol station.
I knew how much had been taken but how it was taken was an absolute mystery to me Sean Gillespie
Detective Inspector Paul Welton, of Humberside Police, said "Quite clearly this was well-organised and it was done on an international basis."Detective Inspector Paul Welton, of Humberside Police, said "Quite clearly this was well-organised and it was done on an international basis."
Those alleged to have been involved were able to obtain card details and pin numbers and put them together to clone the cards, police said.Those alleged to have been involved were able to obtain card details and pin numbers and put them together to clone the cards, police said.
The site in Hull is now under new management, and the new owners are not linked to the police inquiry.The site in Hull is now under new management, and the new owners are not linked to the police inquiry.
Sean Gillespie, one of thousands of possible victims, noticed his bank account was being emptied of small amounts over weeks, amounting to thousands of pounds.Sean Gillespie, one of thousands of possible victims, noticed his bank account was being emptied of small amounts over weeks, amounting to thousands of pounds.
"I knew how much had been taken but how it was taken was an absolute mystery to me," he told BBC News. "I knew how much had been taken but how it was taken was an absolute mystery to me," he said.
Other fraud victims have contacted the BBC News website and some said it happened at BP petrol stations.
A BP spokeswoman said between 10 and 12 of their 1,300 sites nationwide had been affected and the firm had issued additional security advice to staff.
She advised customers to insert their bank cards into the chip and pin devices themselves and be careful no-one could see them entering their pin numbers.
'Arms funding''Arms funding'
Most of the UK's petrol stations are independently run which means they are susceptible to being infiltrated by organised crime.Most of the UK's petrol stations are independently run which means they are susceptible to being infiltrated by organised crime.
And the Sri Lankan Government believes it is the Tamil Tigers who are using threats to coerce innocent Sri Lankans to take part in the scam. Maxwell Keegel, first secretary of the Sri Lankan High Commission in London, said the Sri Lankan government had evidence to suggest the scam was being used to fund the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
They say Tamil asylum seekers arriving in the UK are loaned money to open a petrol station, and once established they supply information to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Independent security sources told BBC correspondent Keith Doyle these claims were credible.
Maxwell Keegel, first secretary of the Sri Lankan High Commission in London, said: "They extract the pin and details from the cards and within minutes this information is sent to LTTE agents who operate in remote parts of the world, as far away as Thailand and Indonesia. But a Humberside police spokesman said: "Our evidence does not suggest there is a definite link with Sri Lankan gangs."
"And the money goes unwittingly from people's accounts and ends up going into the LTTE's arms activities." Some petrol retailers have already replaced all their chip and pin machines, while some consumers are only using cash to buy petrol.
The petrol industry accepts it is a problem.
Some retailers have already replaced all their chip and pin machines, while some consumers are only using cash to buy petrol.
Nick Vandervell, of the UK Petroleum Industry Association, said "We are working with the independent retailers but it is difficult to tell them what to do."Nick Vandervell, of the UK Petroleum Industry Association, said "We are working with the independent retailers but it is difficult to tell them what to do."
Have you been affected by this story? You can send us your experiences using the form below:Have you been affected by this story? You can send us your experiences using the form below:
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