Delhi ATM Fraud: Pressed for ₹100, Got ₹500 — Bank Loses ₹8 Lakh Due to Cash Tray Swap
- byPranay Jain
- 29 May, 2025

A fraud case has emerged from an ATM in Harsh Vihar, North East Delhi, involving cash loading errors that caused the bank to lose ₹8 lakh. While loading cash, two employees deliberately swapped the trays holding ₹500 and ₹100 notes. This allowed 112 cardholders, in collusion with the employees, to withdraw ₹500 notes when they pressed the button for ₹100, effectively cheating the bank.
The scam came to light during an audit on May 1. The company responsible for ATM cash loading filed a police complaint against the two custodians who handled the cash. According to the company, the custodians are responsible for transporting cash from banks, loading it into ATMs, and managing keys and admin access.
On April 29, these custodians loaded ₹31 lakh into the ATM but switched the cash trays—placing ₹500 notes in the ₹100 note tray and vice versa—and partially withdrew the ₹100 note tray to jam the smaller notes. This setup enabled accomplices to withdraw larger denominations than requested.
One accused custodian claimed the mistake happened due to illness and haste, but the company alleges it was a deliberate conspiracy. The police have registered a case and are investigating the matter.