28 November 2012

ATM skimming reported at Civic and Mawson

| BrassRazoo
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The ABC reports:

Several ACT residents have contacted the ABC complaining that money was taken after they used either an electronic teller machine at Rudd Street in Civic, or one at Mawson in the past month.

Criminals use skimming devices to collect information from the magnetic strip on the back of ATM cards and steal funds.

In Europe the devices have become increasing sophisticated and include a miniature camera to record pin numbers.

Both illegal skimmers have now been removed and police are investigating.

Banks and credit unions are warning customers to avoid using ATMs which appear damaged, or have loose components or devices attached, and to inform staff immediately if they notice something suspicious.

UPDATE 28/11/12 13:02: ACT Policing has now issued a media release:

ACT Policing is investigating multiple reports of suspected fraud by offenders using sophisticated “skimming” devices attached to Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) within the ACT.

Police believe offenders are attaching a device to the fascia of an ATM, which is then used to scan the data from the card’s magnetic strip. The PIN entered into the machine is then captured using a small camera linked to the device.

This is similar “skimming” technology to that which has been reported in other jurisdictions. ACT Policing’s Fraud Team will be liaising with detectives from other jurisdictions as part of its ongoing investigations.

More than a dozen examples of these unauthorised withdrawals from ATMs have been reported to police during November.

Police are warning customers to take precautions when using ATMs. They urge customers look for any irregular, unusual or suspicious devices attached to an ATM, and to use one hand to cover the other as the PIN number is entered into the keypad.

Police are working with the affected providers to investigate the suspected “skimming” incidents. Any suspicious behaviour around ATMs, or any ATM irregularities must be reported to the bank or credit union, and then to police on 131-444.

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Pitchka said :

Des vy us vogs use it da kesh muney mayt! Nun dis kard bulshit farken.

Ha .. Good one Pitchka

Des vy us vogs use it da kesh muney mayt! Nun dis kard bulshit farken.

DUB said :

Do not forget that there is Community CPS one across the road as well.
And why did people go to ABC, not Police at first instance? What’s ABC going to do? LOL

Who said they went to the ABC first?

My wife works in a building near Moore street and apparently anyone with a Westpac or St Greorge card who used that machine during the time they suspect the skimmer was attached were contacted by the bank and had their cards replaced. They were encouraged to tell others from other banks who also may have used the ATM to contact their bank.

Holden Caulfield10:51 pm 28 Nov 12

This site has a link to a CommBank PDF which shows some of the ways to identify an ATM that has been altered by baddies with skimming devices…

http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2009/04/know-how-to-spot-an-atm-skimmer/

AlpineViper said :

I have a habit of checking for skimmers when using an ATM since there was a powerpoint file that did the rounds a while ago showing just how pro some of them look. However I always kind of felt paranoid, and wondered if I would actually spot a well made one anyway.

At least I know even if I am paranoid, these things are still out there.

+1

I always give a bit of a tug on the card slot, and a quick feel of the edges of the keypad, to ensure there’s nothing obvious attached. I also ensure I cover my PIN irrespective of there being anyone around. Few skimmers are of high standard, though when you’ve seen the devices custom built for specific machines, it is scary. That said, aside from the inconvenience and time it takes, at least you should always get your money back from the bank.

G-Fresh said :

I’ve been suffering ATM withdrawls since this scandal took hold

Went into Mawson so called into Comm bank and made inquiry. Young bloke said it was the St George ATM that got hit. The Comm bank do inspect theirs regularly, so he said.

I’ve been suffering ATM withdrawls since this scandal took hold

Roundhead89 said :

There’s also a St George one next to the liquor store which has been malfunctioning regularly since being installed. Since the St George ATMs are the easiest to skim I would say it was that one.

Do not forget that there is Community CPS one across the road as well.
And why did people go to ABC, not Police at first instance? What’s ABC going to do? LOL

MERC600 said :

Any word on the location of the Mawson ATM ? The only ones I know of are the two attached to the Commonwealth bank , Which I used recently.

Do bank staff wander out at all through the day and have a squiz at their machines ?

There’s also a St George one next to the liquor store which has been malfunctioning regularly since being installed. Since the St George ATMs are the easiest to skim I would say it was that one.

Any word on the location of the Mawson ATM ? The only ones I know of are the two attached to the Commonwealth bank , Which I used recently. Do bank staff wander out at all through the day and have a squiz at their machines ?

I have a habit of checking for skimmers when using an ATM since there was a powerpoint file that did the rounds a while ago showing just how pro some of them look. However I always kind of felt paranoid, and wondered if I would actually spot a well made one anyway.

At least I know even if I am paranoid, these things are still out there.

Gungahlin Al9:39 am 28 Nov 12

Yes that’s the one. Plenty of people in this office were hit. The bank branch was apparently chokko yesterday with people cancelling cards, etc.
It is worth having a look at Google’s “ATM skimmer” images hit for the amazingly professional versions of skimmers… You can understand how people don’t realise what is happening.

Interestingly also, when I was typing that into Google, the second thing on the autosuggestion list was “ATM skimmer for sale”, with hits on Google Blogger sites and even YouTube clips. How is it that Google is not shutting this down?

Holden Caulfield9:20 am 28 Nov 12

Rudd Street, that’d be the St George ATM near the Moore St intersection, I guess?

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