ATM Cash Fraud - Getting Popular

James

You'd have thought that we'd have 2 PIN's - One for purchases, and one for cash withdraws. Or better still, be able to opt out of being able to use your credit card in an ATM.

You can get a DEBIT Card from the Halifax that offers the facility of using a PIN to access ATMs yet you continue to sign in shops:

Extract from a letter from Barclays dated 27 April 2005.

""A request for a card without PIN functionality can be offered (subject to final approval of the account). In saying this I should stress that a PIN is still provided for use of cash machines, but will not funcion for debit card transactions.

See" Getting Chip & Signature Cards vice Chip & PIN

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=45811

The more people contribute to the above, the more informed we will be.

Doppleganger

As this is an area that I "work" in I have posted up an FAQ in another thread: ATM FRAUD FAQ. Hopefully it will save someone some hard earn cash.

- Dop

Doppleganger

lipidicman wrote:

Pennies from heaven technique?

This is distraction crime and often used along with "The Lebanese Loop".

Method 1:

While you are using your ATM card at a cash point, the crook will drop a ten pound note (or change) on the floor asking you if this is yours. As you bend over to retrieve it, they will switch your ATM card with somebody else’s, and then drain your bank account after you leave. You should watch for anyone observing you entering your PIN number, anywhere you use your ATM card. Police know this as “shoulder surfing” and it is very common.

Method 2:

"The Lebanese Loop" is a piece of kit that looks to the machine like a card with a mag stripe, but is in fact a dummy card slot that fits inside the real card slot. It allows the real card to be accepted by the machine, but blocks its return. The bystander observes this, and, if he hasn't got your pin the first time, advises you that entering your pin again may clear the problem. Of course, it doesn't. When you leave in disgust, they remove the mechanism, including your trapped card, and go on a spending spree.

- Dop

lipidicman

Knew the 'loop', just not the 'pennies' term, thanks. I am paranoid about cashpoints and only use them when the lobby is empty. Even then my hand is clamped over the keypad