Bank clients warned: Criminals steal at ATMs
A team of organized criminals is installing equipment on legitimate banks' ATM's in at least two regions to steal both the ATM card number and the PIN.
Robert S. Reyes of the Landbank of the Philippines disclosed that a team sits nearby in a car receiving the information transmitted wirelessly over weekends and evenings from equipment they install infront of the ATM.
Reyes warned ATM card holders to inspect and see their machine before using it to see if there is a camera attachment or any gadget that is new to them.
Reyes said the cardholder must not to use the ATM and report it immediately to the bank using the 800 number or phone on the front of the ATM.
The equipment used to capture the ATM card number and PIN are cleverly disguised to look like normal ATM equipment.
A "skimmer" is mounted to the front of the normal ATM card slot that reads the ATM card number and transmits it to the criminals sitting in a nearby car.
At the same time, a wireless camera is disguised to look like a leaflet holder and is mounted in a position to view ATM PIN entries.
The thieves copy the cards and use the PIN numbers to withdraw thousands of pesos from many accounts in a very short time directly from the bank ATM.
(PNA)