ATM Skimming On The Rise; Follow These Steps And Stay Safe!
20+ people have lost money to this sophisticated way of stealing money from ATM users' bank accounts.
ATM or Automatic Teller Machine is most probably one of the most widely used financial tools today. Most of the bank account holders use their debit cards to withdraw money, and gone are the days when people used to queue up inside bank branches for the same.
Frauds related with ATMs are not new, but now, fraudsters have resorted to newer, technologically advanced methods to rob people via ATMs.
Residents of Coimbatore have realized this the hard way, as more than 15 people have lost their money via ATM scam in the city.
What is this new form of ATM robbery and what can you to avoid it?
Keep on reading to find out the facts!
Coimbatore: 20+ People Lose Money In ATM Skimming!
A single ATM at Lawley Road near R.S. Puram in Coimbatore was used as the bait by ATM thieves, and as a result, as several people have lost their entire money within seconds.
In fact, it is not yet clear how many people have actually lost their money.
At least 5 victims have complained to the Cyber Cell, and the investigation is on.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) P. Perumal has confirmed that video footage is being examined, as you read this post. No arrests have been made as of now.
In another report, it was revealed that an ICICI bank ATM in Varadarajapuram near Singanallur in Coimbatore was skimmed, and at least 15 people have lost money after using this ATM.
A victim who lost Rs 50,000 from this ATM said, “I got this month’s salary only on June 5th evening and the next day the money disappeared,”
N.Mallika, Inspector in Cyber Crime division, Coimbatore, who is investigating this case, said,
“The money has been withdrawn in Bengaluru. We suspect that the culprits have used a skimmer to steal card information. Since investigation is underway, this is all I can say,”
The Modus Operandi
ATM Fraudsters are using ATM Skimming, an illegal way to copy ATM card details in order to scam users. This is a criminal and punishable offence.
As per the details emerging, ATM scammers are placing skimming device on the ATM Counter. There are mainly two ways to do this: Either placing a skimming device over the ATM Card reader or putting/placing it above it.
Now, when a gullible ATM user visits this ATM and swipes his/her ATM card, this skimming device copies the data which is present in the magnetic strip, which is later copied by the fraudsters to clone a duplicate ATM.
However, as we all know, you need the PIN with the ATM card to withdraw cash.
As per some reports, the fraudster hack the CCTV camera installed in ATMs to know what PIN is being used by the user, and then the cycle is complete – The ATM fraudster will have the ATM card and PIN, and use them to withdraw cash from anywhere.
In the case of Coimbatore frauds, the fraudsters are withdrawing cash from Bangalore.
What Should You Do To Avoid This Scam?
There are few symptoms whether an ATM Machine is skimmed or not:
- Is the card reader wriggling or there is glue attached in the ATM reader? If yes, then it could be skimmed.
- Is there any difference in the colour of the ATM reader or any material
- The keypad can feel spongy as well, which indicates that the ATM fraudster have replaced the original keypad with a fake one, which can directly skim the password and other details.
- Even if no one is standing behind you, it is advised to cover the keypad with your other hand, so that the CCTV can’t record the pin.
Lastly, be alert while withdrawing money from ATMs. Be wary of any suspicious persons or condition inside the ATM. And in case you do find it, report it immediately to the officials.
