Avoiding ATM Frauds

ATMs are a convenience and so much more. In recent years an increase has been observed in banking and ATM card frauds. New techniques have been devised by fraudsters to rob customers off their savings. Among these card skimming, eavesdropping and card trapping are the most prominent. We are here to tell you more about these frauds. These warnings can alert you, you’ll save yourself from becoming a victim.

People getting skimmed and their accounts getting cleared has been reported often. When you get skimmed, another person gets access to your information, your debit card details, etc. This is usually done by a skimming tool planted in the ATM machine or a camera that may be placed at the top of the keypad. Sometimes a person may be standing behind your shoulder to get the information. This information is then used to clone your card. That person can easily access your account to take whatever he wants to.

ATM attacks coming from the network have greater possibilities of disabling the security on ATM endpoints. Physical intrusion requires unprotected machine so the attack can be effective. In some other cases, the malware has additional capabilities, for example, turning the network off and other new advanced features. In addition to this, fraudsters apply measures to avoid stand-alone members of the criminal gang to victimize more ATM machines on their own. The lack of trust between developers and money mules triggers more difficult malware. ATM physical attacks are committed with the objective of gaining access to cash and other important information that is in the ATM safe or in the security enclosure.  The common methods include ram raid and explosive attacks.

In eavesdropping a criminal installs a foreign device on an ATM machine in order to capture data from a customer’s card. This is done by a wiretap which sniffs the functionality of the card reader or connects to a magnetic read head that’s within the card reader. The notable feature of any eavesdropping device is its ability to make use of legitimate card reading functionality.

In cases of card theft, perpetrator obtains your card when you’re in the ATM or when you exit. Card thefts are reported more in areas which are dimly lit and are less likely to have traffic. Card trapping is another common kind of card theft. You should know that Lebanese Loop is the most popular method of card trapping. This device commits fraud by exploiting the ATM machine. It is designed to enter the card entry slot of the ATM card reader in a way that it doesn’t prevent the owner from entering their card. However, it prevents the ATM card reader from ejecting or returning the card back to the owner. When the owner is sure the ATM card has been captured or swallowed by the machine and eventually leaves, the perpetrator removes the trapped card. Algerian V trap is another variant of card trapping.

In card swapping the actual card is replaced with another identical looking one. This is a method of distraction which is performed when the consumer’s card is being returned of turned out to the consumer after a transaction has been made at the ATM. PIN compromise methods can either be very technically sophisticated or relatively easy like shoulder surfing. In shoulder surfing the perpetrator stands close enough to the consumer to know the numbers being entered by you on the keypad. He can also use a miniature camera to transmit the image of the PIN being entered. Often, he can store the recording within the device itself.

While it’s true ATMs in isolated places or at dimly lit areas shouldn’t really be used, we’ll also advise you to be careful when there are people surrounding you. This is true of business events especially. You’re unlikely to find any isolated spots there yet you can be a victim. Business events often hire mobile ATM services to influence and increase their cash sales. This is done so as to increase their customers. But remember you’ll find many people at any business event and you may not be knowing all of them. On the off chance you happen to access the ATM services, be more cautious of ATM frauds.