ATM Security A "Thing Of The Past"?

Knowledge about ATM security is the key to keeping you safe from identity theft and the credit card scams that have devastated so many families.

This scam has also become very sophisticated as to how the thief accomplishes his crime.

• I live in California and there is a new ATM scam that is gaining strength and victims. The amount of victims is extreme and climbing.

• This particular ATM scam concerns gas stations. Unfortunately, we all have to use gas stations, so this identity theft scam affects all of us.

Suspects rigged ATM card readers at gas station pumps throughout the area to steal PIN and card numbers by using their own cameras.

Five victims of this ATM security scam have been identified at this time, and the number is expected to grow in alarming numbers before this is all said and done.

See nigerian scams and grant scams for more.

Two New Types Of ATM Security Scams

Bank ATM Security Scam

Identity theft scams also hit ATM’s. A highly organized group of criminals is installing equipment on legitimate bank ATM machines to steal both the ATM card numbers and PIN numbers.

• A team of thieves will sit in a car nearby and receive the information transmitted wirelessly over evenings and weekends from equipment they install on the front of the ATM machines.

• If you see an odd rectangular attachment in the approximate spot where you insert your ATM card - BEWARE! Do Not use this particular ATM machine.

• Report the ATM security scam immediately to the bank using their 800 number on the phone on the front of the ATM.

• The equipment used to capture your ATM card number is disguised to look like normal ATM equipment.

• The equipment is called a “skimmer”, and reads the ATM card number and PIN number and transmits it to the criminals sitting in a nearby car.

• A wireless camera is disguised to look like a leaflet and is mounted in a position to view ATM PIN entries; this is done simultaneously with the skimmer.

  WOW! Thieves put in a lot of time and energy to put these ATM security scams in action.

• The thieves copy the cards and use the PIN numbers to withdraw thousands from many accounts in a very short time directly from your bank ATM.

Check here for more identity theft scams.

Mobil’s Speedpass

It’s amazing how many identity theft scams keep evolving.

Another very high-tech scam uses a Speedpass key tag to charge gas. Exxon/Mobil stations are one of the places that have this technology at the moment.

• The face of the gas pump contains a tiny chip called RFID, (radio frequency identification), this chip is also being added to other credit cards, passports etc.

• The person waves the Speedpass key tag across the front area of the gas pump or convenience store terminal. The chip is then activated from a signal in the gas pump.

A professor from John Hopkins University, and some of his graduate students, ran their own test and found a security flaw.

• A laptop equipped with a special receiver is tucked away in a bag for easy use, and all the thief has to do is walk down the street and gets the laptop within 6” of someone carrying a Speedpass in his or her pocket or purse.

• In just ¼ of a second the laptop grabs the Speedpass account information. You don’t even have to touch the person.

• Data is encrypted, but the students found it was an easy code to break. It took about 25 minuets.

• They call this an “electronic pickpocket”. The thief then goes and gets gas and/or all the goodies you can buy in the gas station store with the Speedpass information they stole from you.

• Mobil claims thieves haven’t tried this before and, if it happened, the customers wouldn’t have to pay. Mobil stated it was a non-issue.

Protect yourself and don’t become vulnerable to all the different ATM scams making the rounds.



Back To Home Page

From ATM Security page to Grant Scams

From ATM Security page to Home Internet Security