New Atm Scam?

[connda]

I was at a bank's ATM today. After I finished my transaction, I noticed a guy about 2 meters behind the ATMs holding what looked like a iPhone with a small antenna on the end of it. He just was standing there, nonchalantly, with this device pointed at the ATMs. I looked at the screen, but did not see any photo of video. So I sat down behind him and watched as he stood behind the other ATM customers. After about 2 minutes, the guy shuts the iPhone case and just continues to stand there. So I walked a few steps away and started using my phone, and the guy takes off.

That was just very odd.

[Semper]

Don't worry. Just throw away your atm/credit card and go inside your bank with your bank book and withdraw your money.

[mogoso]

That is strange, you say after turning off his phone and standing there, he just takes off. Did he use wings, a jet pack or was it superman style? Did you notice what way he flew? Did he have to taxi down the street to gain speed and then get aloft with some kind of prop drive? I have to admit that was very strange, I can't remember if I have every seen anyone take off.

[Semper]

I can't remember if I have every seen anyone take off.

Have not seen it but heard of it, "Billy The Mountain" Frank Zappa.

[lovelaos]

So once again someone posts something informative and two people jump on him and pick faults. Good grief

[Moonrakers]

That is strange, you say after turning off his phone and standing there, he just takes off. Did he use wings, a jet pack or was it superman style? Did you notice what way he flew? Did he have to taxi down the street to gain speed and then get aloft with some kind of prop drive? I have to admit that was very strange, I can't remember if I have every seen anyone take off.

I imagine it would have been a vertical take off, like a harrier.

[Scott]

Further baiting, inflammatory or off-topic remarks are going to earn some posters a holiday.

[autan]

I am not sure what to make of this thread.

If the guy was filming atm customers, entering their pin numbers, he has chosen an odd approach to try and capture it on film. Usually then stick a wirless pin camera where you wont notice it, rather than risk being caught actually recording.

This leads me to believe he was probably an innocent man, just looking a little odd near an atm machine. Perhaps if he was doing the same behaviour not outside an atm machine, you probably wouldnt have noticed him.

My advice would be not to panic, certainly I wouldnt be contacting the bank everytime you saw something a little odd, you would need a new card and pin number everyday,

Try and sheild your pin or do what I do, which is disguise the entry by touching rather than pressing other keys making it impossible to detect which number you actually entered even if recorded.

[exeter]

Don't worry. Just throw away your atm/credit card and go inside your bank with your bank book and withdraw your money.

As I do all the time, its a lot safer and no stresses of maybe being scammed.

[lomatopo]

Some skimmers, placed over/around the slot, do transmit the magnetic strip information wirelessly. The camera video is usually stored on a memory card disguised as part of the machine itself so that has to be retrieved later. Almost any gift card with a magnetic strip can be made a clone of the ATM card.

I am not saying that the individual the OP observed was doing this. It would be great to hear more about the exact situation: bank brand, ATM location, time of day, etc.

If anything, shielding entering your PIN should be done to thwart any camera rather than an individual standing nearby. Everyone should be changing their PINs frequently and using the home bank ATM preferably in a branch, where in theory it should be harder for thieves to place the skimming equipment.

Some banks here have smart(er) cards, like Bangkok Bank's Be1st Smart Card which are purportedly impervious to skimming.

I think it's a problem here as some have reported skimming incidents here and in some blogs. In the U.S, this is a huge problem.

[rockderk]

Some skimmers, placed over/around the slot, do transmit the magnetic strip information wirelessly. The camera video is usually stored on a memory card disguised as part of the machine itself so that has to be retrieved later. Almost any gift card with a magnetic strip can be made a clone of the ATM card.

I am not saying that the individual the OP observed was doing this. It would be great to hear more about the exact situation: bank brand, ATM location, time of day, etc.

If anything, shielding entering your PIN should be done to thwart any camera rather than an individual standing nearby. Everyone should be changing their PINs frequently and using the home bank ATM preferably in a branch, where in theory it should be harder for thieves to place the skimming equipment.

Some banks here have smart(er) cards, like Bangkok Bank's Be1st Smart Card which are purportedly impervious to skimming.

I think it's a problem here as some have reported skimming incidents here and in some blogs. In the U.S, this is a huge problem.

Problem with those Be 1 cards is [1] not all Bangkok bank ATMs take em [2] they don't work in any other banks' ATMs [3] they don't work overseas. In short, they suck. I told the Bangkok bank staff this and they all said "Yeah, we know. Everyone says that."

[mojaco]

Some skimmers, placed over/around the slot, do transmit the magnetic strip information wirelessly. The camera video is usually stored on a memory card disguised as part of the machine itself so that has to be retrieved later. Almost any gift card with a magnetic strip can be made a clone of the ATM card.

I am not saying that the individual the OP observed was doing this. It would be great to hear more about the exact situation: bank brand, ATM location, time of day, etc.

If anything, shielding entering your PIN should be done to thwart any camera rather than an individual standing nearby. Everyone should be changing their PINs frequently and using the home bank ATM preferably in a branch, where in theory it should be harder for thieves to place the skimming equipment.

Some banks here have smart(er) cards, like Bangkok Bank's Be1st Smart Card which are purportedly impervious to skimming.

I think it's a problem here as some have reported skimming incidents here and in some blogs. In the U.S, this is a huge problem.

Problem with those Be 1 cards is [1] not all Bangkok bank ATMs take em [2] they don't work in any other banks' ATMs [3] they don't work overseas. In short, they suck. I told the Bangkok bank staff this and they all said "Yeah, we know. Everyone says that."

We have never had any problem using any of our four Be1st cards in any BB or non-BB ATMs. Maybe you card is defective and you should ask for a new one.

[NanLaew]

Problem with those Be 1 cards is [1] not all Bangkok bank ATMs take em [2] they don't work in any other banks' ATMs [3] they don't work overseas. In short, they suck. I told the Bangkok bank staff this and they all said "Yeah, we know. Everyone says that."

The staff at my branch of Bangkok Bank explained all of these 'suck' factors to me before they issued it.

[NanLaew]

We have never had any problem using any of our four Be1st cards in any BB or non-BB ATMs. Maybe you card is defective and you should ask for a new one.

The old Be1st cards (without the little surface electronic chip) can be used elsewhere. The newer Be1st cards (with the little surface electronic chip) cannot.

[mojaco]

We have never had any problem using any of our four Be1st cards in any BB or non-BB ATMs. Maybe you card is defective and you should ask for a new one.

The old Be1st cards (without the little surface electronic chip) can be used elsewhere. The newer Be1st cards (with the little surface electronic chip) cannot.

If we have to get a replacement card someday do we have a choice of getting one without a chip?

[mojaco]

We have never had any problem using any of our four Be1st cards in any BB or non-BB ATMs. Maybe you card is defective and you should ask for a new one.

The old Be1st cards (without the little surface electronic chip) can be used elsewhere. The newer Be1st cards (with the little surface electronic chip) cannot.

If we have to get a replacement card someday do we have a choice of getting one without a chip?

[lomatopo]

Two different Bangkok Bank Visa debit cards:

Be1st Visa Debit Card

Be1st Smart Card

Yes, the added protection of the Smart Card comes with some trade-offs.

Yes, you can get a card without a chip.

Edited February 10, 2012 by lomatopo

[rizenkroft]

Mogoso really, You have nothing better to do.

[connda]

Some skimmers, placed over/around the slot, do transmit the magnetic strip information wirelessly. The camera video is usually stored on a memory card disguised as part of the machine itself so that has to be retrieved later. Almost any gift card with a magnetic strip can be made a clone of the ATM card.

I am not saying that the individual the OP observed was doing this. It would be great to hear more about the exact situation: bank brand, ATM location, time of day, etc.

If anything, shielding entering your PIN should be done to thwart any camera rather than an individual standing nearby. Everyone should be changing their PINs frequently and using the home bank ATM preferably in a branch, where in theory it should be harder for thieves to place the skimming equipment.

Some banks here have smart(er) cards, like Bangkok Bank's Be1st Smart Card which are purportedly impervious to skimming.

I think it's a problem here as some have reported skimming incidents here and in some blogs. In the U.S, this is a huge problem.

Interesting. I'll need to go back to the Bank. However, it was an Aeon bank in the Tesco Mall in CM. I'd think it would be difficult to place a skimmer on an ATM within a Mall, but who knows. But a skimmer that can transmit wirelessly. Ouch. Not too worried though. I cover the keypad when entering my pin.

[mogoso]

Mogoso really, You have nothing better to do.

No, but I like to find humor wherever I stumble upon it, and if perchance I comment on something I can make humorous I will. It beats chewing on lemons as some folk might pefer.

As for the post I appreciate the OP's attempt to warn all of a possible scam, but I found it unlikely as it was the details he gave didn't fit an ATM scam.

[ravip]

What are some common ATM scams?

Double swiping. Grabbing. Skimming. The terms sound a lot like the phrase "money-grubbing." And that's exactly what they mean, except in these scams, no one actually clutches a stack of bills in his fist. Aside from actually sticking a gun in your face and taking your cash, these are the primary methods by which thieves separate you from your money at an ATM.

http://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/banking/common-atm-scams.htm

For more information on ATMs and ATM scams, check out the links on the next page.

http://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/banking/common-atm-scams1.htm

[jamesbrock]

We have never had any problem using any of our four Be1st cards in any BB or non-BB ATMs. Maybe you card is defective and you should ask for a new one.

The old Be1st cards (without the little surface electronic chip) can be used elsewhere. The newer Be1st cards (with the little surface electronic chip) cannot.

Not quite correct. The Be1st Visa Debit cards, including the ones with the smart chip, can be used elsewhere. The Be1st Smart Cards can not (well, they can, but only in Visa EMV enabled ATM's).

I got a Be1st Visa debit card, with a smart chip, on 11 January, and I have used it in several non-Bangkok Bank ATM's, which follows the information on Bangkok Bank's website that lomatopo linked to.