Gardai foil ATM fraud just before 'skimmers' grab cash

dahamsta

Gardai foil ATM fraud just before 'skimmers' grab cash

A MAJOR fraud operation was interrupted when gardai seized a micro-camera and a 'skimming machine' before the equipment could be used to defraud a bank customer.

The camera had been fitted close to the keypad of an ATM in Ashbourne, Co Meath, so it could record customers as they entered their PIN number. It was not properly fixed to the machine and fell down as a woman withdrew cash.

The woman contacted gardai who spotted a car nearby that appeared to be waiting by the machine. There were two people in the car but, while being followed by gardai, the pair abandoned the vehicle between Ashbourne and Finglas and ran into nearby fields.

Gardai recovered a quantity of equipment from the car, which had been reported stolen, including a video recording system that was remotely linked to the camera at the ATM.

They also recovered a 'skimming machine', a device that is attached by criminals to ATMs and that can remove security information from the the card being used.

With both pieces of information, the ATM card can be copied and used anywhere in the world to withdraw money.

Forged cards have been used in other European countries within an hour of the scam taking place in Ireland, according to Una Dillon, manager of Irish Payment Services Organisation.

In some cases up to €30, 000 has been fraudulently obtained from one account. "Our advice to people is to be aware of people around you and even if there is a camera, if you shield the keypad with one hand while keying in the PIN with the other hand, then they will not see your PIN," said Ms Dillon.

Elaine Keogh

Victor

"Our advice to people is to be aware of people around you and even if there is a camera, if you shield the keypad with one hand while keying in the PIN with the other hand, then they will not see your PIN," said Ms Dillon.

One hopes. They can still have a good guess as your hand moves arounf the keypad.

gurramok

I think its a more widespread problem that wont be wiped out because of 1 'skimmer' machine was seized.
Banks...*cough*.. customers losing €30,000 a week from it is reported here
Thats €0.36 million lost from customers bank accounts a year .

What i don't understand is the lack of media attention to this problem as its your money thats at stake hence the thread i started on the 'atm' scams.

There should be more publicity about this rather than brushing it under the carpet.

Specky

I totally agree.....especially since my company has a solution to the problem that is being used throughout the US to foil just this type of thing.

As far back as July 2002 The Wall Street Journal acknowledged that identity theft was the fastest growing crime in the US.

ATM fraud through card copying is still comparatively minor when compared to credit card fraud using skimmers. There's no requirement for a PIN when paying by credit card most often. If you pay in person they check the signature (sometimes) but if you've cloned the card you can put any signature you like on the back. If you're paying online or by phone they don't even have that check, they may check you billing address but again not always.

People quite happily hand over their credit cards in restaurants and shops and let the assistant wander off with it and keep it for almost as long as they want. Plenty of time to skim the card, photocopy the signature if necessary etc.

At the moment the card companies generally pick up the tab for these but I can't really see that lasting forever. Chip and PIN cards are being deployed by some banks in some parts of the world but there are identity theft operations going on that are way more sophisticated than simple skimming set ups that will not be detered by this new technology.