Survey reveals growing American distrust in vaccines for COVID, other infectious diseases

[Sathip2008]

It seems that a team of organized criminals are installing equipment on legitimate bank ATM's 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. 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. If you see an attachment like this, do not use the ATM and report it immediately to the bank using the number or phone on the front of the ATM.

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.

Yesterday I tried to withdraw some money at an ATM here in Chiang Mai (where I live) and I was surprised to see that my balance was insufficient. I called my bank and they told me that THB. 30'000.-- had been withdrawn - with the same card - a couple of hours earlier in... Bangkok . Well, I told the guy that, at that time, I was on my sofa taking my traditional Sunday nap and that we obviously were in a middle of scam. I have to say that the guy spoke good English and was professional and helpful; he told me to go to the nearest police station and file a report, then go to my bank (Kasikorn) the next day (so today) to ask them to start inquiring with their HQ and the local police in BKK.

So I went to the K-Bank today and, one again, a very efficient and friendly staff there made a few phone calls and told me we'll have to wait a couple of days (or weeks ) before we hear from the HQ and the police in BKK and I then (eventually !!! ) get my money back.

So, If you don't want to have the same "surprise" be extra careful when you withdraw money and don't be as stupid as me, change your pin regularly.

[lannarebirth]

At which ATM do you believe your card was skimmed?

[britmaveric]

Certainly not a new scam, however worth while pointing out again!

[Ulysses G.]

So, If you don't want to have the same "surprise" be extra careful when you withdraw money and don't be as stupid as me, change your pin regularly.

If the thieves are monitering the PIN number that you use and taking your ATM card and using that number, what use is changing the PIN number often?

[JetSetWilly]

I had a similar experience in Bangkok when approx 15,000 bht was kindly removed from my UK account in multiple small withdrawls of 500, 1000 baht etc, I thought it strange as the card was still in my wallet! Fortunately my bank refunded the lot, things could have been much much worse.

This isnt a problem thats restricted to Thailand though, I often see 'dodgy' additions to ATM machines, especially near the card slot. Take my advice, only withdraw cash from a credible bank (inside if possible) and not one of those stand alone jobs... who knows what may be going on behind the scenes...

Hope you are sucessful in getting your cash back soon though.

JSW

[Sathip2008]

I had a similar experience in Bangkok when approx 15,000 bht was kindly removed from my UK account in multiple small withdrawls of 500, 1000 baht etc, I thought it strange as the card was still in my wallet! Fortunately my bank refunded the lot, things could have been much much worse.

This isnt a problem thats restricted to Thailand though, I often see 'dodgy' additions to ATM machines, especially near the card slot. Take my advice, only withdraw cash from a credible bank (inside if possible) and not one of those stand alone jobs... who knows what may be going on behind the scenes...

Hope you are sucessful in getting your cash back soon though.

JSW

@ Lannarebirth : "At which ATM do you believe your card was skimmed?" I can't be sure about the exact location, but most certainly at Night Bazaar or Chang Khlan Rd.

@ Ulysses : "If the thieves are monitoring the PIN number that you use and taking your ATM card and using that number, what use is changing the PIN number often? " Good question; It seems that the thieves don't use your card right away but maybe a couple of days or weeks after it was skimmed. So if you change your pin regularly they won't be able to withdraw the money because they'll have the old pin. It seems that they keep the "skimmer" only a couple of hours and then install it somewhere else.

@ JSW "Take my advice, only withdraw cash from a credible bank (inside if possible) and not one of those stand alone jobs... who knows what may be going on behind the scenes..." Absolutely

[vagabond48]

I normally take the following precautions when I withdraw cash from ATM machines to minimize theft,

I only withdraw cash from a bank branch machine and only during business hours.

I hope that the machines that are tempered with, occur either at unwatched none-bank branch ATMs or off hours. That's what I hope.

[Sathip2008]

"I hope that the machines that are tempered with, occur either at unwatched none-bank branch ATMs or off hours."

I'm pretty sure it was the case.

[cmsally]

I had a funny experience yesterday at an ATM machine on Tapae Rd. Tried to get my card in the machine and felt like something was stuck inside.

Tried a couple of times but definitely something in the slot but not visible.

Didn't look like it had been tampered from the outside. So went to another machine down the road, no problem there.

Unless maybe the card feeder mechanism had gone wrong.

[Contractor]

I had a funny experience yesterday at an ATM machine on Tapae Rd. Tried to get my card in the machine and felt like something was stuck inside.

Tried a couple of times but definitely something in the slot but not visible.

Didn't look like it had been tampered from the outside. So went to another machine down the road, no problem there.

Unless maybe the card feeder mechanism had gone wrong.

Another (simple) method used by fraudsters to steal cards is to place a very thin loop of plastic inside the card reader shute. The victim puts their card in the ATM but the card is prevented from reaching the reader. The vicitim will think that the card has been "swallowed" by the ATM and moves on. The card then can be easily retrieved, although no PIN number will have been able to be recorded. If it is a credit card (as opposed to an simple ATM card) then it is still useful to a fraudster for a limited time.

This used to be a common method of stealing phone cards (from payphones) some years back.