Okaz/Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — The Public Prosecution has concluded investigating a pharmacy accountant, who was charged with stealing money from a customer’s account after gaining access of the customer’s ATM debit card number and secret security code.

The prosecution has referred the case to a court and charges were framed against the defendant. The accused may end up behind bars for up to 10 years in addition to a whopping fine of SR5 million.

Sources at the Public Prosecution told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that the accountant, during interrogations, admitted to the crime of stealing the money after getting access to the ATM card details.

The financial fraud happened on Aug. 5 when a customer bought some items from a pharmacy and made the payment through an ATM card transaction. After returning home, the customer received banking text messages indicating about four new electronic purchases that were made from his account.

The customer approached police, accusing the pharmacy accountant of withdrawing money from his account after gaining access to his ATM card details.

The investigators found that the accountant had withdrawn money from the customer’s account. On examining the footage of CCTV at the pharmacy, it was found that the accused was seen standing behind the accounting table and receiving an ATM card from the customer for the purpose of payment.

After the client’s departure, the defendant made four electronic purchases, from a website by entering the front debit card number and the three-digit PIN code behind the card, which had been photographed with his mobile device at the time of the card holder’s transaction.

The charges framed against the defendant include various provisions of cybercrime and money laundering laws for which up to a maximum 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of SR5 million may be awarded, the sources added.