Better avoid taking cash out of unguarded ATMs

       The automated teller machine (ATM) might mean cash in a flash for people in a hurry, but for tech savvy fraudsters it is a jackpot in a jiffy. According to Bangalore Mirror, the city police are probing more than 200 complaints of card ‘skimming’ at ATM machines and sleuths say it could just be the tip of the iceberg.

Photo for representational purpose only

    All the illegal withdrawals were made between February 4 and 7, but police believe that the gang had been active in the city since January 10 this year, and have skimmed away at least Rs 3 crore since then. Following the leads, the police were shocked to discover that in most cases money was withdrawn not from any of the city ATMs, but from those located in London and Bromley in the UK. 

     The modus operandi of the gang is a novel one. Its members operating in the city fit high resolution spy cameras above key boards on ATM machines and skimmers in the card slot. The camera catches the PIN typed by a person withdrawing cash, while the skimmer copies the card details from the original card reader of the ATM. The information is transferred into laptop and later sorted to match PINs with card details. 

skimmer

        “The devices are controlled by a remote, probably by a member of the gang sitting in a car outside the ATM,” Pranab Mohanty, joint commissioner (crime), told Bangalore Mirror. "The gang has targeted ATMs of banks where no guard is posted so that it is easy to install and remove the spy camera and the skimmer. Mostly Canara Bank and Corporation Bank ATMs have been compromised. They are in affluent localities like Jayanagar, JP Nagar and Malleswaram. We suspect at least 10 ATMs in the city have been targeted." 

Card skimming device fitted with ATM slot

      Once the data is obtained and sorted, it is sent to other members of the gang stationed abroad. They cloned the cards and thereafter, used them at ATMs in places like London to withdraw cash. Police say that the gang is operating in cities across India. In Chennai, at least 29 ATMs have been targeted. 

       CCTV footages recovered from the ATMs have not helped the cops in busting the gang. “Although the targeted ATMs have CCTV cameras, the picture quality is low," a senior police officer said. “Moreover, the suspects wore caps to cover their faces while they entered the ATMs to install the gadgets. They have been careful not to reveal their identity. Once they have got enough data, they have removed the skimmers and the spy cameras.” 

Spy camera to read your PIN

    Some of the cloned cards have been used in the city to pay for the services of the local gang members, the police added. 

 

    “Customers who subscribe to SMS alerts know immediately when money is withdrawn from their account. But, those who do not subscribe to this facility will know only when they visit an ATM or the bank. We believe there are several unreported cases,” Mohanty said. 

 

    The city police have written to the Reserve Bank of India alerting it to these crimes and has also requested the apex bank to alert other banks. Police have also asked customers to be careful while using ATMs, especially unguarded ones, and to check their accounts periodically.