Intercepting them as they are transmitted over the network.
ATM Fraud
ATM fraud is described as a fraudulent activity where the criminal uses the ATM card of another person to withdraw money instantly from that account. This is done by using the PIN. The other type of ATM fraud is stealing from the machine in the ATM by breaking in.
TIPS TO AVOID BECOMING A VICTIM OF ATM FRAUD
1. Perform an A.T.M. Inspection Before swiping your card, consumers should examine A.T.M.’s for tell-tale signs of skimmers. Visible glue marks around the reader or PIN pad is a sign of tampering.
2. Perform an A.T.M. Area Inspection Consumers should look around the A.T.M. area to see if anything looks out of the ordinary. For instance, are there brochures near the keypad, possibly hiding a miniature camera? Legitimate security cameras for banks will be clearly visible, while miniature cameras can easily be hidden and very small in size.
3. Cover Your PIN When you type in your PIN, use your other hand to shield the keypad to block it from hidden cameras. This will also help protect your information from “shoulder surfers,” thieves who stand off to the side and try to record your PIN.
4. Know Which A.T.M.’s to Pay Special Attention To T.M.’s in heavily trafficked areas like malls, airports and gas stations can have skimmers attached and may go unnoticed for a long period of time because there usually isn’t anyone nearby monitoring the machines.
5. Know When to Use Your Credit Card In situations where your card goes out of your line of sight (like at a restaurant or hotel), use a credit card rather than a debit card. Many times, you are afforded protections through your credit card company that are not available with your debit card.
6. Don’t accept help from strangers.
7. Never divulge your PIN to anyone.
8. Use ATMs in well-lit areas and where you feel the most comfortable.
9. Don’t be distracted when using an ATM. If you’re disturbed, cancel the transaction immediately and report the incident using your bank’s stop-card toll-free number.
10. Be aware of your surroundings and avoid using the ATM where individuals are loitering.
