KoSong: Warning on criminal devices at Bank ATMs

How should we judge a government?

In Malaysia, if you don't watch television or read newspapers, you are uninformed; but if you do, you are misinformed!

"If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing." - Malcolm X

Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience - Mark Twain

Why we should be against censorship in a court of law: Publicity is the very soul of justice … it keeps the judge himself, while trying, under trial. - Jeremy Bentham

"Our government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no

responsibility at the other. " - Ronald Reagan

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Warning on criminal devices at Bank ATMs

Modern bank convenience like ATM is now common and taken for granted by customers. It can be found, for customers’ convenience, at shopping malls, highway service centres and even places like Starbucks.

As a machine holding cash to be withdrawn, must be a tempting sight to would be robbers. From memory, I have read of fire crackers being used to try and break open the machine, and even excavator to carry the whole machine away only to realise that it was the cheque deposit machine instead!

Some criminals wait for customers with cash just withdrawn, to rob, while more sophisticated ones use special devices to get details of customers for use later. The following is an email being forwarded to warn us:

Dear All,

For your information. This is true. Already in KK so be careful..

Please give wide publicity !
Bank ATM's Converted to Steal IDs of Bank Customers

A team of organized criminals are installing equipment on legitimate bank ATM ' s in at least 2 regions to steal both the ATM card number and the PIN . The team sits nearby in a car receiving the information transmitted wirelessly over weekends and evenings from equipment they install on the front of the ATM (see photos) . If you see an attachment like this, do not use the ATM and report it immediately to the bank using the phone on the front of the ATM .
The equipment used to capture your 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 from many accounts in a very short time directly from the bank ATM .

Equipment being installed on front of existing bank card slot .