PUNE: The cyber crime cell arrested two Nigerian nationals, one on Tuesday and the other on Wednesday, for using a magnetic card reader to clone debit and credit cards, swiping them at ATMs and withdrawing huge amounts of money, illegally.

One came to India on a medical visa and the other arrived on a student's visa. Both their visas had expired in 2015.

Several debit cards and Rs 1.8 lakh in cash was recovered from both. They were arrested under provisions of the IPC and the IT Act.

Ogbehase Fortune (43) and Bashar Dakin Garim Usman (27) would visit ATM kiosks in isolated places and withdraw money from them. Ogbehase was caught by a cyber cell team while effecting a transaction at an ATM kiosk in Pimple-Gurav on July 11. Both were remanded in police custody till July 18.

"We have arrested Nigerian nationals for card cloning in Pune for the first time," deputy commissioner of police (cyber crime) Sudhir Hiremath said on Thursday.

Police received a tip-off about Ogbehase after his image was caught on CCTV camera at an ATMs. Technical investigations confirmed his involvement. Later, they arrested his accomplice Bashar from his residence at Pirangut near Pune on Wednesday.

Police suspect them of using the cards at select petrol pumps for getting some money on a commission basis.

The involvement of more Nigerian nationals and others is suspected because they have used a magnetic card reader for cloning cards and used these cards in hotels, malls, pumps and ATM kiosks.

Ogbehase and Bashar were arrested on charges of duping an official Hemant Appasaheb Phalke (45) of Ammunition Factory, Khadki to the tune of Rs 67,000 on June 24. The Khadki police had registered a case on July 11.

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Two Nigerians with expired visas held for card cloning - Times of India