ATM machine frauds

How to spot skimming machines in it?

[Habtom]

I have never been a victim of an ATM machine fraud, but I read a few related stories ever now and then. Just very recently, there was a notice by the central bank of the UAE, that there were some ATM fraud cases and a few thousands of people were affected.

The central bank also mentioned the fraud was all done through some skimming machines and small cameras to read the pin numbers being pressed.

What possible ATM frauds have you come across?

[Quadrille]

With the spread of chip and pin, the only really effective way to scam a cash machine is a heavy-duty fork lift truck.

In may neighborhood, they are installing concrete bollards around the machine to stop that eventuality.

No fun to be had, anymore ;)

[jimbeetle]

The very best one I ever heard about was reported around 15 years ago. A company contracted with a large shopping mall on Long Island to install a couple of ATMs. The only problem was that they never worked. Folks would dip their cards, punch in their PINs and get out of order messages. The repair guy would come to service the machines, still didn't work. After a couple of days or so the company took the machines back to the shop to work on them.

Turns out the "company" was not quite legit. The "out of order" machines were reading the card info and recording the PINs. Whenever the repair guy stopped by he was actually downloading the information.

Ingenious, but takes big brass ones.

[reprint]

gumming up the money delivery slot is a low tech one. Amazing how many people walk away and then the thief comes along and grabs what is stuck in there.
A fancier version of that was the installation of a false front on an ATM machine and grabbing the card info.

[edit_g]

I've fallen for the oldest one ever in London years ago - I had retrieved my card, was standing there waiting for the money - as soon as it came out someone shoulder tackled me out of the way while his friend ran off with the money. By the time I got back up they were long gone.

Needless to say, I now look around fairly hard before, during and after atm use.

[Quadrille]

Ouch!

Reminds me of the movie "LA Story" - Steve Martin gets his cash, hands it to a mugger - camera pans back, there's a line one side clutching their ATM cards - and a line of muggers waiting patiently on the other side. One five second clip, and the best joke in the movie.