ATM skim scams
4 May 2009
Over the past six months, over 40 ATM's have been found to contain electronic skimming devices with experts stating that tens of thousands of dollars have been stolen from bank accounts.
While the fraud squad police have not released the details of which machines were tampered with they have released information of the latest skimming and scamming techniques being used on ATM's across Australia.
One of the latest developments is false keyboards that record personal identification numbers that are being used in conjunction with card skimmers attached to the machine. Once a transaction is complete, the information is sent to the thieves' mobile phones via Bluetooth technology. This technology was developed after ATM's users continually cover the keyboard when typing in their PIN, making a hidden camera ineffectual.
The danger of the latest credit cards and banks cards skimming technology is that its fits directly on existing parts of an ATM, such as the card slot including devices and wiring inside the outer casings of ATMs which record information from the magnetic strip found on credit cards and bank cards.
The latest information on skimming techniques comes from the special investigation teams that have been established at all four major banks in Australia. These experts say that the majority of all skimmers are attached and operating for less than 24 hours. They also advised that ATM users should look for signs of ATM tampering such as scratches, marks or adhesive tape located around the machines.
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