West Bridgford Police have reported that since February the TSB cash machine on Tudor Square has been subject to a skimming device being placed on the machine four times.
They have also released the following advice:
What Are Skimmers?
Skimmers are are essentially malicious card readers that grab the data off the card’s magnetic stripe attached to the real payment terminals so that they can harvest data from every person that swipes their cards. The thief has to come back to the compromised machine to pick up the file containing stolen data, along with the victims bank card that has been retained. With that information in hand, along with the victims bank card, the suspect then goes on to use the card, taking hundreds of pounds from their bank account.
The typical ATM skimmer is a device smaller than a deck of cards that fits over the existing card reader. Most of the time, the attackers will also place a hidden camera somewhere in the vicinity with a view of the number pad in order to record personal-identification-numbers, or PINs. The camera may be in the card reader, mounted at the top of the ATM, or even just to the side inside a plastic case holding brochures. Some criminals may install a fake PIN pad over the actual keyboard to capture the PIN directly, bypassing the need for a camera.
Check for Tampering
When you approach an ATM, check for some obvious signs of tampering at the top of the ATM, near the speakers, the side of the screen, the card reader itself, and the keyboard. If something looks different, such as a different color or material, graphics that aren’t aligned correctly, or anything else that doesn’t look right, don’t use that ATM. The same is true for credit card readers.
If you’re at the bank, it’s a good idea to quickly take a look at the ATM next to yours and compare them both. If there are any obvious differences, don’t use either one, and report the suspicious tampering to your bank. For example, if one ATM has a flashing card entry to show where you should insert the ATM card and the other ATM has a plain reader slot, you know something is wrong. Since most skimmers are glued on top of the existing reader, they will obscure the flashing indicator.
Think Through Your Steps
Whenever you enter your debit card’s PIN, Just assume there is someone looking. Maybe it’s over your shoulder or through a hidden camera. Cover the keypad with your hand when you enter your PIN.
Even if you don’t notice the skimmer and swipe your card, covering your hand when you enter your PIN can keep you safe. Obtaining the PIN is essential, since the criminals can’t use the stolen magnetic stripe data without it.
Stop and consider the safety of the ATM before you use it.
