Bank of Thailand offers advice on avoiding scams and skims

[TechnikaIII]

Seem very stupid that an ATM security code can only be four numbers.

Yes I agree. A new account with a bank I opened in Melbourne Australia a few months ago, provided for a much longer pincode, of a length I could choose myself. So a hacker needs to know for a start how many digits I have used. Even so, I will rarely use this card at ATMs in Thailand, In stead I make a transfer online to an account with the Government Savings Bank, the hot pink mobile units. There are always staff in view of the ATM side of the van, and my local bloke knows me. The chances of anyone installing a fake overlay keypad or whatever, are pretty remote.

Edited November 17, 2013 by TechnikaIII

[Ricardo]

The best way to avoid scams & skims, is surely not to visit Thailand, or perhaps not even to risk stepping outside one's door at home ?

[tartempion]

Surasak Suwanpong the Protection Specialist for the Financial Service Authority for the Bank Of Thailand

Dear Mr Surasak, I think it is time for you to update your poor knowledge of banking security.

What Thai banks need are ATM's that only accept bankcards with chip technology and online banking with pass-code generating machines.

No big deal if you would travel to some European banks, but I think you are unable to understand any of the non-Thai languages these people speak

[lomatopo]

my best advice is to have 2 bank accounts one with your main funds and no ATM card and a secondary account with a ATM card where funds are transferred when needed or a low balance kept.

So how do you transfer money from the account which has no ATM card associated with it?

The only options would be to do that in your bank branch in person, at the counter, or via on-line banking. Are there any other methods?

I do like this approach, by the way.

Bangkok Bank do have the EMV-chip enabled Be 1st ATM card, which requires utilizing specific ATM machines so labeled. However, BBL describes this card...

"...make your card nearly impossible to copy and keep your money safe."

but makes no guarantees.

With BBL, and their iBanking platform, I wish you could:

- change your PIN via iBanking, with an OTP. Requiring one to use an ATM to change a PIN introduces an opportunity for both the old and new PINs to be compromised.

- choose a daily limit below 25,000 baht.

- enable SMS alerts - note that there is a monthly fee for this service.

Also would like to see BoT honcho pushing for more consumer protection and fewer pamphlets.

More skimming incidents this week in Pattaya, Songkhla and Bangkok (2nd incident).

ATM Skimming Incident – Clarification from Bangkok Bank

In a recent skimming incident, fraudsters copied data from banks’ ATM cards that had been used at several ATMs in the Wireless Road area.

Bangkok Bank has checked and canceled the cards used at ATMs in the area during the time the skimming occurred to prevent potential losses, and has taken due care of customers affected by the incident. Our customers therefore can continue to use our ATMs as usual.

http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/DailyBanking/Be1stVisaDebitCard/Pages/ATMSkimming.aspx

Not sure what they mean by:

has taken due care of customers affected by the incident

but have heard via Thai social media that funds were replaced for some customers. The bottom line appears to be that if you are subject to skimming make sure it happens to a lot of other people, and that it gets publicized.

Edited November 17, 2013 by lomatopo

[moradave]

In addition to the chips built into the card, Bangkok Bank makes it virtually impossible to visually read the 16 digit card number unless you hold the card at an angle where the light is just right for the blotted out numbers to be readable.

Another benefit of the two account scheme for debit cards is that an unscrupulous on-line merchant cannot debit your low balance ATM account for services you do not want or want to cancel.

[Maestro]

Apparently Khun Surasak (Protection Specialist for the Financial Service Authority for the Bank Of Thailand) doesn't know cards don't have passwords, they have pincodes.

In what language did Khun Surasak speak? If he spoke in Thai, it may have been translated wrongly.

[Rodney Goodleg]

A recent documentary ,by a security expert, on handheld 'skimmers' showed just how easy it was to 'skim' details from ATM cards bearing the 'Wifi' type symbol. The 'skimmer' (purchased on line believe it or not) was held close to a lady's handbag as she waited in the check-in queue. With her consent the guy demonstrating the 'skimmer' was able to show her account number, password, name etc. He also showed how 'skimmed' details could be transferred to the 'stripe' on his hotel room entry card. He then paid for items in a convenience store by swiping his hotel card at the till . To protect against this 'skimming' one should simply wrap the ATM card in baking foil which prevents the cards 'signal' from being detected. My cards bearing this 'Wifi' type symbol are kept in their 'sleeves' which I have covered in three layers of sticky backed foil. Perhaps it's time for the banks to issue card sleeves which blank the signal.

[belg]

and you would think

that after so many years

so many scams

so many victims

not one bank comes up with a chip card, so money cannot be stolen so easely

but that costs some money, innovation and addmiting that the system is no safe

max 30.000 baht on ur card and the rest you top up when needed

[AngelsLariat]

and you would think

that after so many years

so many scams

so many victims

not one bank comes up with a chip card, so money cannot be stolen so easely

but that costs some money, innovation and addmiting that the system is no safe

max 30.000 baht on ur card and the rest you top up when needed

Bangkok Bank offers a chip card.

[tim armstrong]

One of the main attractions about living in Thailand is that you can do everything for CASH ! Its not that much extra trouble, if you're worried, to go and get cash IN the bank. You really don't have to use a card to buy anything. Thais are increasingly doing it because the rest of the world does it. Stay with cash!

[AngelsLariat]

One of the main attractions about living in Thailand is that you can do everything for CASH ! Its not that much extra trouble, if you're worried, to go and get cash IN the bank. You really don't have to use a card to buy anything. Thais are increasingly doing it because the rest of the world does it. Stay with cash!

I don't see doing everything in cash as being an advantage, but perhaps it is for people trying to stay off the radar.

Edited November 19, 2013 by AngelsLariat

[hawker9000]

A recent documentary ,by a security expert, on handheld 'skimmers' showed just how easy it was to 'skim' details from ATM cards bearing the 'Wifi' type symbol. The 'skimmer' (purchased on line believe it or not) was held close to a lady's handbag as she waited in the check-in queue. With her consent the guy demonstrating the 'skimmer' was able to show her account number, password, name etc. He also showed how 'skimmed' details could be transferred to the 'stripe' on his hotel room entry card. He then paid for items in a convenience store by swiping his hotel card at the till . To protect against this 'skimming' one should simply wrap the ATM card in baking foil which prevents the cards 'signal' from being detected. My cards bearing this 'Wifi' type symbol are kept in their 'sleeves' which I have covered in three layers of sticky backed foil. Perhaps it's time for the banks to issue card sleeves which blank the signal.

You can buy RF-shielded wallets in various shapes & sizes - some large enough for your passport as well as several cards. REI has 'em.