A simple trip to the ATM can be a financial fiasco. At least if you are unlucky enough to fall victim to a well-known yet current scam. The Münster police warn of new cases.
Bank employees alerted the Münster police on Thursday, December 29th. The report is based on a money scam that is anything but new, but still regularly claims new victims. Attentive bank customers can protect their digital wallet at the ATM with little effort.
THIS IS HOW FRAUDSTERS TRICK BANK USERS
The aforementioned bank employees noticed a plastic splint that unknown persons attached to an ATM. This is said to have blended inconspicuously with the appearance of the ATM and was equipped with a hidden camera. In this way, the fraudsters were able to film the PIN entry and find out the secret number. The police suspect that the fraudsters then read the card data and used it to create so-called card duplicates, i.e. duplicates of the payment cards. These can be used to withdraw cash or make cashless payments just like standard money cards.
Alternatively, the debit and credit cards can also be stolen in the conventional way. Or by means of a card entrance attached to the ATM, which keeps the cards. In such cases, criminals can attach a fake emergency number to the machine, which those affected call so that the scammers can then put them off.
THIS IS HOW YOU PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FINANCES
The Münster police recommend paying attention to the environment at an ATM on the one hand and the nature of the cash dispenser on the other. If equipment that does not belong to the machine is identified, it should not be used. City food victims should inform the police.
Aside from such more sophisticated methods, scammers can also try looking over their shoulder. It is therefore important to ensure that nobody can observe the process of entering the PIN. If necessary, it is advisable to use one hand or the purse as a privacy screen. After entering the PIN code, bank customers should also wipe the keypad with the palm of their hand. Because , as security researchers have found , commercially available thermal imaging cameras can identify the PIN itself 60 seconds after it has been entered – including the correct sequence.
Our guide to behavior at ATMs reveals further tips and protective measures . And if it’s already too late for that, the article on blocking EC cards explains how you can do this quickly.
