Tangent 21 - Cashpoint Scam

Posted by
Watcher girl

Posted on
15:48
Apr 17 2002

Cashpoint Scam

Got an email from a colleague today about this, from someone at HFC bank originally... don't know if its a mainly birmingham thing, but something to be aware of anyway.

For your information, please be advised of the following ATM scam:

Beware the next time you use an ATM. Criminals are inventing ever more ingenious methods of relieving you of your cash.

The latest scam involves thieves putting a thin, clear, rigid plastic 'sleeve' into the ATM card slot. When you insert your card, the machine can't read the strip, so it keeps asking you to re-enter your PIN number. Meanwhile, someone behind you watches as you tap in your number. Eventually you give up, thinking the machine has swallowed your card and you walk away. The thieves then remove the plastic sleeve complete with card, and empty your account.
The way to avoid this is to run your finger along the card slot before you put your card in. The sleeve has a couple of tiny prongs that the thieves need to get the sleeve out of the slot, and you'll be able to feel them.

The police would like as many people as possible to be aware of this scam, so pass this on to your friends.

8 Replies and 1369 Views in Total.

Sydney You can lead the whore to culture but you can't make her think!

This is a really old peice of net lore - i got it this morning from "The Halifax". So it appears to be doing the rounds again.

Check www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/atmtheft.htm for full deatils and advice

Posted: 16:15 Apr 17 2002

Dangermouse One more word from you , and i'll bitch slap you so hard, your children will be born well-behaved.

after working in a bank for 10 years, my advice is never let anyone try to look over your shoulder when keying in your pin (d'oh obvious!), but especially when the sun is out, and you have to contort into unusual positions to read the screen! alternatively if the bank is open - use machines inside

Posted: 18:29 Apr 17 2002

Watcher girl I know. You know I know. I know you know I know. We know Henry knows, and Henry knows we know it.[smiles] We're a knowledgeable family. the Lion in Winter

I should know better than to post without checking, really.

The cash machine closest to work, a couple of people have been robbed at it in broad daylight recently... trying to to feel too paranoid when i get cash.

Posted: 20:36 Apr 17 2002

Samphirette To you I guess I'm just a clown who picks you up each time you're down

Watcher Girl, there's nothing wrong with being a little paranoid it makes us all aware. I'm always very careful at a cashpoint to have my purse safe and have a quick check at who's around not that I'm ever likely to be withdrawing huge sums of money.

I think its a question of how safe we feel on a day to day basis.

Posted: 01:04 Apr 18 2002

SPIKE "Hakuna Matata" Captain Zapy

wow where do i get these plastic strip things from?

Posted: 12:36 Apr 18 2002

DJ Billy You can't really dust for vomit.

by SPIKE
wow where do i get these plastic strip things from?

That's the one problem with these things. Even though they're hoaxes to start with there's always the chance one person will think "Hey, that's an idea!"

Posted: 13:03 Apr 18 2002

Tycho As Emily Bronte once put it: "Wtf?"

by DJ Billy
(quotes)

Even though they're hoaxes to start with

This one isn't a hoax though. It happened to a friend of mine & they managed to get Â£700 out of her account. Usually because you can't prove that it wan't you that took the money out uou lose it all, however in her case the criminal took the card on a short trip to France and used it there.
My friend could prove that she hadn't left the country on the weekend in question & so managed to get all he money back.

Posted: 12:06 Apr 20 2002

Jayjay "I may be scattered / A little shattered / What does it matter / No one has a fit like I do / I'm the only one that fits you"

Actually, the Snopes site confirms it's not a hoax, but that the email format is a little suspect (never able to trace to the original sender...).

Posted: 00:33 Apr 24 2002

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