Public​ announcement​ on​ the​ COPY​ note​ cheating​ case

08/Apr/2019

Public Annountment 08 April 2019 2

Dear​ ABA​ customers​,
Please​ be​ informed​ that​ on​ April​ 6,​ Mr​ Peter​ Hofer,​ a​ Swiss​ national,​ claimed​ that​ he​ had​ received​ a​ $100​ note​ with​ the​ word​ COPY​ (serial​ number​ HH​ 26841921​ E)​ from​ the​ ATM​ located​ in​ ABA​ Central​ Market​ Branch.

Immediately​ after​ receiving​ the​ complaint,​ the​ relevant​ teams​ in​ the​ Bank​ conducted​ a​ thorough​ investigation.​ At​ first,​ our​ records​ of​ the​ cash​ sorting​ machine​ showed​ no​ trace​ of​ the​ note​ with​ the​ serial​ number​ reported​ by​ customer​ in​ ABA​ cash​ system.​ In​ addition,​ our​ security​ camera​ footage​ showed​ that​ Mr​ Hofer​ had​ received​ a​ genuine​ note​ from​ the​ ATM,​ and​ then​ replaced​ it​ with​ a​ fake​ note​ from​ his​ shoulder​ bag.

After​ the​ investigation,​ on​ the​ same​ day​ our​ team​ invited​ Mr​ Hofer​ to​ the​ branch,​ showed​ him​ the​ evidence​ of​ his​ premeditated​ scam,​ and​ questioned​ him​ on​ the​ case.​ Mr​ Hofer​ admitted​ that​ he​ did​ try​ to​ cheat​ the​ Bank.​ As​ result,​ security​ team​ of​ ABA​ handed​ over​ Mr​ Hofer​ to​ the​ Khan​ Daun​ Penh​ police​ station​ for​ further​ action​ along​ with​ all​ the​ proofs​ and​ evidences.

On​ Monday,​ April​ 8,​ 2019,​ the​ detained​ was​ sent​ to​ the​ Phnom​ Penh​ court​ for​ questioning.​ He​ is​ suspected​ of​ committing​ crime​ as​ provided​ by​ Article​ 377​ and​ 378​ of​ the​ Criminal​ Code​ (Fraud)​ with​ a​ sentence​ of​ 6​ (six)​ months​ to​ 3​ (three)​ years​ in​ prison​ and​ a​ fine​ of​ 1​ –​ 6​ million​ Khmer​ Riels.​ ABA​ Bank’s​ legal​ team​ continues​ to​ work​ collaboratively​ with​ the​ local​ law​ enforcement​ agencies​ and​ we​ will​ keep​ you​ updated​ on​ this​ case.

We​ take​ this​ opportunity​ to​ firmly​ reject​ any​ accusations​ related​ to​ distribution​ of​ unfit​ currency​ notes.​ We​ still​ believe​ that​ it​ is​ a​ scam​ scheme​ aimed​ at​ defiling​ the​ Bank’s​ reputation,​ and​ we​ reserve​ the​ right​ to​ refer​ it​ to​ local​ authorities​ and​ prosecute​ such​ cases​ to​ the​ fullest​ extent​ permitted​ by​ law.

ABA​ Bank​ would​ also​ like​ to​ advise​ its​ clients​ to​ always​ check​ and​ count​ their​ money​ thoroughly​ before​ leaving​ the​ ATM​ or​ bank​ counter​ as​ the​ Bank​ doesn’t​ bear​ any​ responsibility​ afterwards.