ATM Skimming / Skimming / EFTPOS Compromise

ATM skimming continued through August in many regions. In some instances anti-skimming features were damaged and disabled prior to the skimming device being attached to the ATM. Four Bulgarian nationals were arrested in Uganda suspected of involvement in ATM skimming and subsequent fraudulent spend. In one US incident, a Bulgarian national was sentenced to four years detention for involvement in ATM skimming. Also in the US, the US Secret Service (USSS) appealed to the public for help in identifying suspects linked to ATM skimming losses of $500,000. Police in Thailand arrested a Pakistani national and seized equipment including ATM skimming devices. A second Pakistani national and two Romanian nationals linked to the same investigation are wanted by Thai police. Authorities in Chile investigated suspected ATM skimming incidents following the compromise of 1,500 accounts. Police in Bulgaria recovered six ATM skimming devices installed on ATMs at a popular tourist detstination.

Card Trapping / Cash Trapping / Card Swapping / Leaving Transaction Live

Cash trapping dominated ATM fraud reports from Europe during August. Both external and internal traps were used. Damage to the dispenser is often linked to internal cash trapping incidents. Card trapping incidents included the modus operandi of the suspect advising the victim to enter their PIN three times in order to retrieve their trapped card. This allows the suspect to easily observe the PIN. Police in the UK advised consumers to shield their PIN and not accept help while using ATMs, and to report to their card issuer immediately if their card is retained by an ATM.

Transaction Reversal Fraud / Cheque Fraud / Denomination Fraud / Funds Transfer

Transaction reversal fraud incidents involved a range of tools and techniques. In India, three suspects were arrested following a number of retract reversal frauds. In France, forks were reported to have been used to generate reversals. Elsewhere, skilful manipulation of ATMs, often in association with the use of pre-paid cards, generated transaction reversals. Cheque fraud incidents in the US during August included the arrest of two brothers. The modus operandi included depositing cheques and withdrawing funds from an ATM prior to the cheques being identified as fraudulent.

Ram Raid Attacks / Theft of ATM / Smash-and-Grab

US incidents ranged from two male suspects using a handcart to remove an ATM from a hotel lobby to the use of a front-end loader to steal an ATM from a credit union. In one failed attempt to steal an ATM in the US, a husband and wife team were arrested following a police pursuit. Police in the UK appealed for witnesses following the failed theft of an ATM from a fuel station using a 4x4 vehicle which was abandoned at the crime scene. An excavator was used in a ram raid and theft of an ATM from a service station in Australia. A police patrol disturbed a team of three suspects attempting to steal an ATM in India.

Safe Cutting / Safe Breaking / Theft from ATM

An ex-security guard (male) dressed as a woman failed to prise open an ATM in India and was identified on CCTV. In another failed attempt of theft from an ATM in India, an alert member of the public contacted police after hearing three suspects attempting to cut open an ATM. Police in India managed to identify a suspect who had used a genuine one-time combination to open an ATM security enclosure. The suspect, employed as a first line maintenance (FLM) operative had previously enquired about the date of birth of an ATM custodian and used that information to impersonate the custodian and obtain a one-time combination. In Malaysia two security personal were arrested after a guard smelled burning caused by cutting equipment being used in an attempt to gain entry to an ATM. South African police (SAPS) arrested a suspect following the failed theft from an ATM.

Explosive Attacks

An explosive attack in Malaysia failed to provide access to the cash in an ATM. An explosion at an ATM in Greece was deemed more likely terrorist related than an attempt to steal from. Attacks against ATMs in Brazil, including ATM bombings increased in the first six months of 2012. Police in Australia continued to investigate ATM explosive attacks as two innocent workers suffered ear damage following an ATM explosion near their work place. ATM bombings continued in South Africa.

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The above digest is provided by DFR Risk Management, who provide consultancy services advising ATM and self-service terminal deployers and manufacturers, as well as law-enforcement agencies,onhow to manage ATM and self-service terminal fraud and security threats.