Atm Fraud In Thailand

[Tolley]

This is a general warning to people using Aai TMS in Thailand.

A Thai lady friend of mine has had her ATM account milked of 100,000 baht in Pattaya despite the fact that her card has not been out of her possession or anyone else knowing her pin number.

She is obviously devasted as she now only has 4000 baht left. After going to the bank they revealed that the two transactions that took the 100,000 baht were taken from an ATM near Soi Bukhow and Second Road and that there was no camera at this ATM. The bank denies any responsibility. Another Thai woman at the bank at the same time recommended hiring a lawyer as something similar had happened to her where she lost 3 million baht from her account which she was able to recover through having influential police contacts.

I am not sure how the fraudsters managed to get the pin number but it may be from a hidden camera or some other swiping method installed in the ATM.

Regardless this is going on so everyone should be aware that there is a lack of security with ATMS.

Does anyone have any further advice on how to recover this girls lost money?

[bkkmadness]

I thought that all ATM machines have cameras in them as standard procedure?

[Tolley]

Yep so did i.

Maybe the bank are just trying to fob her off with this story?

[Thaising]

Could it be the inside job, that siphon off the money. Advice your girl to make a full details police report thereafter fax copy to the bank branch manager as well to bank head office. If no action bring follow up. File a complaint at consumer protection board.

[Noel]

After going to the bank they revealed that the two transactions that took the 100,000 baht were taken from an ATM near Soi Bukhow and Second Road and that there was no camera at this ATM.

I was unaware that you could withdraw ฿50,000 in cash via one transaction at an ATM.

Is that what you are saying or were monies transferred to another bank via ATM?

[Tolley]

The bank said the funds were withdrawn in 50,000 baht lots.

[sierra01]

After going to the bank they revealed that the two transactions that took the 100,000 baht were taken from an ATM near Soi Bukhow and Second Road and that there was no camera at this ATM.

I was unaware that you could withdraw ฿50,000 in cash via one transaction at an ATM.

Is that what you are saying or were monies transferred to another bank via ATM?

I thought the limit was 20,000bt per day?

[The Coder]

The bank said the funds were withdrawn in 50,000 baht lots.

This might be nothing, but it is getting fishier to me. Many machines simply cannot fit that much cash into the outgoing tray because they are not designed to hold a stack of notes 50 high. The other thing is 50K is higher than any daily withdrawal limit I have heard of to date. A lot of machines simply won't let you type in a quantity higher than 20K.

[lopburi3]

1. Could you explain what "Aai TMS" is? I can not equate it to any known bank.

2. Your original post said two transactions which would not be possible from any ATM machine I know of as it would require at least 50 bills to be dispensed and the max I have found is 25.

3. 50k lots mean 50k one day in two or more transactions and then again the next day?

Agree she should make a police report and then go back to bank with it and be prepared to go to the top. She will probably not be able to do herself (reason she was brushed off already) so I would advise her to have a male help, a lawyer if required.

[bbigman21]

I have been to several machines and have been able to draw 50,000 but has been my card from the states.

[stumonster]

I have been to several machines and have been able to draw 50,000 but has been my card from the states.

which machines are those - the best I have found have allowed me to withdraw 25k at a time and that is via an overseas card - HSBC sing.

and small machines may not have a camera but I doubt if their limit is higher than 10k.

even atm's at the bank branches can serve different amounts , I went to the bangkok bank branch on second road behind walking street and out of 3 machines , only 1 would let me withdraw 25k in one go.

[daleyboy]

There is also the possibility of withdrawing at 2355 and then again at 0001, which i believe most card scammers work using this method

[lopburi3]

I have been to several machines and have been able to draw 50,000 but has been my card from the states.

You are saying you received 50 1,000 baht notes in one transaction from a bank ATM? Which bank?

I know you can do with multi transactions but I have never seen any that you could obtain more than 25k from - but of course have not tried them all.

This is also why I questioned the name of the bank as I have never heard of anything called Aai TMS.

[Noel]

After going to the bank they revealed that the two transactions that took the 100,000 baht were taken from an ATM near Soi Bukhow and Second Road and that there was no camera at this ATM.

I was unaware that you could withdraw ฿50,000 in cash via one transaction at an ATM.

Is that what you are saying or were monies transferred to another bank via ATM?

I thought the limit was 20,000bt per day?

Not if you are drawing from a Thai bank account, although daily limits may vary from bank to bank.

Something seems wrong here, as I have never seen an ATM that will dispense more than ฿25,000 in one go (25 note maximum).

Anyone else seen an ATM that will dispense 50 notes?

If funds were transferred to another bank via the ATM, there would obviously be an audit trail but I find the likelihood of a fraudulent non-cash transaction being made as next to zero.

[lopburi3]

Ok. Light just came on and guess the "Aai TMS" was a corrupted ATM'S. But would be interested in the bank involved.

[Donz]

OK.

There is ATM scams in australia, this sounds like the same thats been going around here too where someone withdraws money from your account without you letting the card out of your possession.

First of all, look at the slot where you put your card in, scamers put a card scanner over the slot and it copies the infomation so watch out if the slot looks bulkey or bigger then usual.

Secndly, look for boxed around the ATM like something holding brouchers as there can be camera's in there looking when you put your pin in.

Scammers are even making the card scanners smaller so give it a wiggle and make sure its stable before using it.

Look for anything around the ATM that could hide a tiny camera.

Best thing to do it when you put your pin in just cover the keypad the best you can.

[English Noodles]

Equipment being installed on front of existing card slot.

The equipment as it appears installed over normal ATM card slot.

PIN reading camera being installed on the ATM is housed in an innocent looking leaflet enclosure.

All done and ready to clone any persons card that uses this ATM

[thatguy]

buying a car, i once took over 100,000 bt in increments of 20k. the folks in line were patient .

the account was bkk-bank, the atm was the yellow bank.

tg

[Donz]

Equipment being installed on front of existing card slot.

The equipment as it appears installed over normal ATM card slot.

PIN reading camera being installed on the ATM is housed in an innocent looking leaflet enclosure.

All done and ready to clone any persons card that uses this ATM

Perfect

[Noel]

Yep so did i.

Maybe the bank are just trying to fob her off with this story?

Did you actually go to the bank with this lady, or is this what she has told you?

Just wondering...

[h90]

give it a 50 % chance of gambling and lost the money.

Actually that is the case in most of these strange stories.

But on the other hand, last weekend an unknown magic person made some vodoo on me, caused me to go in the next pub and drink a lot of beer, even I didn't wanted to do that.

A 100 % proof of that was magic is that I had headache on the next morning.....

This is a general warning to people using Aai TMS in Thailand.

A Thai lady friend of mine has had her ATM account milked of 100,000 baht in Pattaya despite the fact that her card has not been out of her possession or anyone else knowing her pin number.

She is obviously devasted as she now only has 4000 baht left. After going to the bank they revealed that the two transactions that took the 100,000 baht were taken from an ATM near Soi Bukhow and Second Road and that there was no camera at this ATM. The bank denies any responsibility. Another Thai woman at the bank at the same time recommended hiring a lawyer as something similar had happened to her where she lost 3 million baht from her account which she was able to recover through having influential police contacts.

I am not sure how the fraudsters managed to get the pin number but it may be from a hidden camera or some other swiping method installed in the ATM.

Regardless this is going on so everyone should be aware that there is a lack of security with ATMS.

Does anyone have any further advice on how to recover this girls lost money?

[Patex]

Yep so did i.

Maybe the bank are just trying to fob her off with this story?

Did you actually go to the bank with this lady, or is this what she has told you?

Just wondering...

[DavieA]

Equipment being installed on front of existing card slot.

The equipment as it appears installed over normal ATM card slot.

PIN reading camera being installed on the ATM is housed in an innocent looking leaflet enclosure.

All done and ready to clone any persons card that uses this ATM

Thats it! Noodles did it!! Bastard!

Seems a bit fishy to me......sure she's telling the truth.

[Thaising]

Bangkok Bank Bualuang Premier ATM card allow you withdrawl 100k or more per day, if you stated in the first place when you open an account with them, but each withdrawal is limited to 25k.

[astral]

Challenge the bank.

It stinks.

I have a gold card with Krung Thai Bank and can withdraw 50K in one day,

but the transaction limit is still 20K. That is all the machine will handle.

[britmaveric]

Interesting my bank only allows 12K a day!

This is hard to believe, if true it points to the bank officials if you ask me.

[Noel]

Interesting my bank only allows 12K a day!

This is hard to believe, if true it points to the bank officials if you ask me.

I find it extremely difficult to believe that what is claimed to have happened actually did.

Up to the OP to answer some of the more pertinent questions above methinks.

[Kf6vci]

Well, I work for a manufacturer of ATMs and watched the news now and then, too. My advice is to never withdraw cash from an ATM outside. Use those inside the banks. And I would try lowering the limit. - What are 3 million THB doing in an ATM account?!? At nearly 0% interest...

[Tolley]

Okay just to answer a few questions.

No i didn't go to the bank with her.

Her story is definitely true. She is not trying to hit me or anyone else up for the money. She is not a gambler or a drinker.

The 100,000 baht was taken over two days so it might have been in 3 or 4 transactions but that is not what the bank said and the bank didn't even give her a copy of the transactions so at this stage not sure how many transactions took place.

This is not the first time i have heard of such things happening in Thailand so i thought i would share the story so others are not caught out in the same way.

She contacted a lawyer yesterday afternoon and he is going to handle the matter.

[Donz]

Actually i remember this happend to my future father in-law, he is filthy rich and asked if my Fiancee used any of his money, ofcourse she didnt and he just thought arrr ###### it and left it as that.