ATM warning as your card details could be ‘skimmed’ and sold online for as little as £11 | Personal Finance | Finance
ATMs are used by millions of people, and can be convenient for withdrawing cash as and when is needed. However, unscrupulous fraudsters are on the hunt for unsuspecting individuals, and their card details. A dangerous scam which has gained prevalence is known as skimming, where criminals tamper with a card machine to gain someone’s details.
They insert a so-called “skimmer” into the machine – a small piece of equipment which is difficult to see, but can be installed onto the original card machine slot.
The false slot captures the card, copying its information and could even swallow the card.
Once the person leaves, the scammer can then use the cloned card for their own purposes.
ATM skimming could have seriously dire consequences for those who fall victim to it.
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The study found 134,607 UK issued cards for sale via the dark web, illustrating the prevalence of this market.
Marijus Briedis, CTO at NordVPN, said: “British payment cards are pretty expensive (compared to the £9.70 world average) despite the country’s user-friendly payment card fraud-prevention policies.
“Prices of cards depend mostly on demand. The greater the demand, the more money criminals can charge for certain data they try to sell.
“In this case, the demand directly correlates with how easy it is to steal money from a card and how much money could be stolen.
Some devices will be easier to spot than others, but taking a moment to check could make a huge difference.
If something doesn’t feel right, people should steer clear, and if possible use card machines inside the bank where it is likely to be safer.
The force adds: “Always keep a regular check on your transactions.
“We know it’s not always easy, but try to be aware of anyone near you when you’re at an ATM.
“Being aware of your surroundings and not being distracted makes it harder for people to take advantage and less likely that they’ll try to.
“When you’ve left the ATM, put your card away immediately.”
