ATM Scam Warning

[deckardcanine]

I've received a photo-based PowerPoint file on a common scam at ATMs. Since I don't know how to present it in LJ, I'll give you the gist:

A thief glues X-ray film into the card slot. A customer soon finds his card trapped. The thief comes and offers to help by pressing Enter and Cancel at the same time that the customer enters his PIN. After several tries, the customer gives up and leaves. The thief then grabs the hard-to-detect film tabs and removes the card, now knowing the PIN.

If your card is "confiscated" by the machine, check closely for tabs, refuse the above "help" method when offered, and inform the bank immediately.

Comments

[nefaria.livejournal.com]

Another con that got me once: some thieves hang out at the ATMs waiting for someone to leave the card in the machine after making a withdrawl (this happens a lot now that most people are used to swipe-and-go ATMs instead of the eat-your-card-until-done ATMs). After the customer is gone, the thief takes the card and uses it as a signature debit card, no PIN required.

[deckardcanine.livejournal.com]

They can do that? Oh dear. I lost a debit card recently. When I got it replaced, the person I spoke to asked if I wanted to keep the old ID number. That surprised me at first, but the person reassured me that the thief couldn't use it without my PIN.

Well, I won't worry too much. It's been gone more than a month, and my last statement includes no purchases I didn't make.