I've Been to Poland - Watch Your Fingers! ATM Warning

[pgrahmm]

Just found out one of my debit cards has been skimmed and caught by my bank.....not sure if out of the woods yet because I used both debit cards the same day same location......one charge had been paid but they are reversing it - the rest were held for processing for me to review and approve or decline & added up to a few thousand dollars US.....the city of the transactions showed UL.Morska. 81-87 Gdnia which my bank told me was in Poland.....

FYI - this happened about 12-15K away from CM City on a busy road outside of the "tourist" areas...so it looks like the gangs/thieves doing this are going away from the busy areas.....

A reminder for everyone to be alert - this was in a place with constant traffic....I nomally try and be careful but was making withdrawls while the wife was in 7-11 and wanted to keep them candid (something good for her).....

I always try and use areas that are busy of have security 24/7 and thought areas away from the tourist areas - more Thai areas would be safer but was proven wrong....

I guess until I can relax a little I'll stick to going directly to the bank or inside the mall which has a security guard posted about 20 feet away.....

Be careful out there.....

Edited November 28, 2014 by pgrahmm

[CharlieH]

Always best to have 1 account with the money in and NO cards, a second account with small day to day cash and ATM card, transfer from A to B to withdraw, if the card gets skimmed/lost/stolen then its no big exposure to loss.

You were lucky, all credit to the bank for catching it.

[ukrules]

Why are you assuming that this happened at this specific location ? What are you basing this on ? Did you find a physical card reading device there ?

Your card details could have been compromised months ago and sold on to criminals in a bulk transaction containing 1000's of card details.

It's far more likely your details were stolen online from elsewhere at some point in the past unless this was a new card which has never been used anywhere else.

[pgrahmm]

Why are you assuming that this happened at this specific location ? What are you basing this on ? Did you find a physical card reading device there ?

Your card details could have been compromised months ago and sold on to criminals in a bulk transaction containing 1000's of card details.

It's far more likely your details were stolen online from elsewhere at some point in the past unless this was a new card which has never been used anywhere else.

It could have been awhile back....only use Paypal online......

[sipi]

Thanks pgrahmm. Scary sh!t.

[NanLaew]

Assuming these were both foreign debit cards? Being used for ATM cash withdrawals?

[ezzra]

No sure why all those owners of ATM machines don't place those machines in an all day

all night convenient stores like 7/11, McDonald and fuel stations, this way, they will be monitored

constantly and no thief will there doing that in a well lit store, but I guess those banks have

so much money to lose they just don't give a crap..

[arrowsdawdle]

No sure why all those owners of ATM machines don't place those machines in an all day

all night convenient stores like 7/11, McDonald and fuel stations, this way, they will be monitored

constantly and no thief will there doing that in a well lit store, but I guess those banks have

so much money to lose they just don't give a crap..

Banks brag in their promotional materials about how many locations they have and if banks were serious about eliminating fraud they would, but they are not motivated to do so because they make money from justifying their fees are necessary to cover fraud. The businesses that accept plastic and to some extent the consumers holding the cards offset fraud and then some through bank fee structures.

[pgrahmm]

Assuming these were both foreign debit cards? Being used for ATM cash withdrawals?

According to BofA they were used as withdrawls and the statement reflects that, (weird amounts though more like purchases) but - the bank said the pin was used which makes me believe skimmer....I try to remember to put my wallet & hand over my hand when entering the pin but must not of at least once.....

I always use ATMs at 24 hour business areas, i.e. 7-11's, malls, or at the banks themselves - although probably checked more often usually no one around at night.....

[namatjira]

Bangkok bank offers this inovation.......only drawback is that you can only use bangkok bank atms,

Better than getting skimmed though....

Whilst traditional cards with a magnetic stripe can only store data, the Be1st Smart card uses a highly-secure and innovative EMV microchip containing both data and security software to make your card nearly impossible to copy and keep your money safe.

When I use it, the atm takes about 30 seconds to check that it is a genuine card...........much safer IMO

[anon022]

Bangkok bank offers this inovation.......only drawback is that you can only use bangkok bank atms,

Better than getting skimmed though....

Whilst traditional cards with a magnetic stripe can only store data, the Be1st Smart card uses a highly-secure and innovative EMV microchip containing both data and security software to make your card nearly impossible to copy and keep your money safe.

When I use it, the atm takes about 30 seconds to check that it is a genuine card...........much safer IMO

I use my Be1st at any ATM, no problem, and the first 3 times are free of charge - within the same province. So now there is a Be2nd card? Edited November 29, 2014 by Impossible

[surfinglife]

It's happened to me several times but always with credit cards. The last one was skimmed in Pattaya and used a week later to buy gas and Nike Air shoes in New Jersey by some redneck truckie

[KED]

Why are you assuming that this happened at this specific location ? What are you basing this on ? Did you find a physical card reading device there ?

Your card details could have been compromised months ago and sold on to criminals in a bulk transaction containing 1000's of card details.

It's far more likely your details were stolen online from elsewhere at some point in the past unless this was a new card which has never been used anywhere else.

It could have been awhile back....only use Paypal online......

I have a paypal account that I rarely use. Last month, I got an email saying my transfer request was pending. Only thing, I never made a transfer request. Someone had breached my Paypal login. Finding a number/email to contact Paypal took hours - they don't post any contact info on their website. I reported the transfer request as fraudulent; however, the Paypal agent could not cancel it (say what?) . The amount requested was larger than what I keep in the account, so it was declined by my bank (after a USD 25.00 fee). Now a month later, paypal has yet to contact me with any info or resolution. - I am not a happy customer (former) of paypal.

[Surasak]

Why are you assuming that this happened at this specific location ? What are you basing this on ? Did you find a physical card reading device there ?

Your card details could have been compromised months ago and sold on to criminals in a bulk transaction containing 1000's of card details.

It's far more likely your details were stolen online from elsewhere at some point in the past unless this was a new card which has never been used anywhere else.

It could have been awhile back....only use Paypal online......

I have a paypal account that I rarely use. Last month, I got an email saying my transfer request was pending. Only thing, I never made a transfer request. Someone had breached my Paypal login. Finding a number/email to contact Paypal took hours - they don't post any contact info on their website. I reported the transfer request as fraudulent; however, the Paypal agent could not cancel it (say what?) . The amount requested was larger than what I keep in the account, so it was declined by my bank (after a USD 25.00 fee). Now a month later, paypal has yet to contact me with any info or resolution. - I am not a happy customer (former) of paypal.

I had a Paypal account a few years ago and was asked on two occasions to confirm my login details. The first time this happened all was Okay but the second time I smelt a rat and canceled the payment . I tried to contact Paypal to get some info but the perverbial needle in the haystack was eaier. I closed the account and will have nothing more to do with them. As a side note, Paypal do not have offices in Thailand to my knowledge, the nearest is Singapore.

[muffy]

1. They should punish all the Eastern Europeans by pulling the plug on the internet . Who needs them , cheap anyway .

[FredNL]

DON'T USE PAYPAL !!!

I have lost lots of money 15,000 USD and about 470,000 THB last year...

[t8769]

East Europe credit card scams are rife thruout Europe.

Its a fraud crime tsunami, many cash machines have readers on them that record your card and pin no.

I never use my credit cards when travelling, and only withdraw cash at banks - just too much fraud.

70 years of Communism did not turn out to produce a wonderful Socialist paradise - who knew.

[Suradit69]

No sure why all those owners of ATM machines don't place those machines in an all day

all night convenient stores like 7/11, McDonald and fuel stations, this way, they will be monitored

constantly and no thief will there doing that in a well lit store, but I guess those banks have

so much money to lose they just don't give a crap..

Since there are ATMs in fairly secure, well monitored places, why would someone use those that are in remote places? Just because an ATM is in an un-monitored spot doesn't mean you have to use it. Once again the nanny state mentality where everything is someone else's responsibility.

Most automobiles can go faster than any speed limit. So when people get arrested for speeding it's the car company's fault, right?

I always try and use areas that are busy of have security 24/7 and thought areas away from the tourist areas - more Thai areas would be safer but was proven wrong....

The O/P says he usually tries to use machines in busy places and then says he used an ATM in a place away from where it was busy. Seems he isn't following his own advice. This is Thailand. Everywhere is Thai areas.

[JimGant]

I use my Be1st at any ATM, no problem, and the first 3 times are free of charge - within the same province. So now there is a Be2nd card?

No, it's called a Be1st Smart Card -- and it has a chip in it. Can, for now, only be used in Bangkok Bank ATM machines, which are the only ones in Thailand that can read chipped cards. Thus, a skimmer can't clone your card, because of the chip. (Wonder how long this situation will remain.......?)

[NanLaew]

Assuming these were both foreign debit cards? Being used for ATM cash withdrawals?

According to BofA they were used as withdrawls and the statement reflects that, (weird amounts though more like purchases) but - the bank said the pin was used which makes me believe skimmer....I try to remember to put my wallet & hand over my hand when entering the pin but must not of at least once.....

I always use ATMs at 24 hour business areas, i.e. 7-11's, malls, or at the banks themselves - although probably checked more often usually no one around at night.....

I am not sure of your status here but I would suggest getting a local card on a local account and leave the BofA card at home. I have an account with them but the card doesn't see the light of day apart from paying my US utilities bill online and covering my US Payal account. I never use it in Thailand. On the upside, from prior experience, BofA are very quick at resolving these matters.

If not, you may need to tighten your discipline on where you use your plastic. I only use one ATM in Pattaya, one ATM in Udon and similarly only one ATM in Bangkok (my regular places). All of them are located at actual bank branches. If I find myself short of cash at the 7-eleven, I leave stuff on the counter. The last thing I would do is use the ATM outside their front door. When skimmers install their stuff or 'watch' a machine, it's invariably in a high usage, very public location.

Having said all that, last year I had a UK debit card skimmed at an ATM in the brand new Bitexco Tower in Saigon... right outside the bloody bank!

Edited November 29, 2014 by NanLaew

[louse1953]

No sure why all those owners of ATM machines don't place those machines in an all day

all night convenient stores like 7/11, McDonald and fuel stations, this way, they will be monitored

constantly and no thief will there doing that in a well lit store, but I guess those banks have

so much money to lose they just don't give a crap..

Your sadly mistaken if you think banks lose money.When they start to lose money is when some action may occur.