Current ATM card skimming scam

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Master Geek

#601524 28-Mar-2012 20:00

Lots of retailers never clean their eftpos machines either. I worked at a gas station and they would clean the strip regularly, using a special card that had cleaning fluid in it. The amount of black s**t that came out was unbelievable.

BlueShift

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#601689 29-Mar-2012 08:34

alasta: I think it would probably be a bit easier to get away with on an Eftpos transaction because customers probably quite often don't check the dollar amount on the display before they enter their PIN. I always force myself to check it each time - I find that it's not a natural habit.

How often have you found the wrong amount charged?

richms

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#601751 29-Mar-2012 10:28

3 times I have had the wrong amount - always at places with ghetto systems where they have to enter into the eftpos the amount that the other computer says. Has been typos because of the low quality keyboards on terminals and in 2 cases were in my favour but I told them anyway since they are places I go to often.

Richard rich.ms

tardtasticx

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#601845 29-Mar-2012 11:57

This stuff is making people paranoid.
I went to buy my train pass yesterday (Adult Monthly for Aucklands MAXX network, $180 for unlimited travel, not cheap) and I had paid for it using two different cards, my ASB MasterCard, and my Westpac Debit Plus Card. Both had my last name printed on the front, but the lady was still very cautious about letting me do it, her reasoning being about the "spike in fraud recently" and I'm like, if it makes it any better here, and pressed my drivers licence and student ID up against the glass window, both having my name on them obviously. THen she gave me a glare and swiped away. Nasty cow. BUt would have been late for class had she not done it.

Are the people cloning the cards or simply skimming the data? I'm assuming it would be too risky for them to use it in person surely?
I think they need to tell retailers what to look out for or something because if this happens more often, its going to get very annoying very quickly. Obviously not just for me, I do feel bad for the people who got money stolen, but they are being rembersed I understand

Bung

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#601869 29-Mar-2012 12:27

richms: 3 times I have had the wrong amount - always at places with ghetto systems where they have to enter into the eftpos the amount that the other computer says. Has been typos because of the low quality keyboards on terminals and in 2 cases were in my favour but I told them anyway since they are places I go to often.

Several times one person in our local dairy tried to eftpos charge the rounded up cash price rather than the actual amount. I think it was a habit like the butcher's thumb on the scales.

gzt

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#601872 29-Mar-2012 12:30

richms: 3 times I have had the wrong amount - always at places with ghetto systems where they have to enter into the eftpos the amount that the other computer says. Has been typos because of the low quality keyboards on terminals and in 2 cases were in my favour but I told them anyway since they are places I go to often.

Same. Undercharged at the dairy a couple of times (operator math error, a lot of them don't even put eftpos through the register at all) and overcharged at a $2 shop type place.

Commenting on the posts above, it looks like the ATM frausters are cloning the cards and using them overseas.

In the previous round of scams a few years ago I may have read they were using memory cards and relying on someone to physically get the data from the machines (and then presumably upload it). It would not take a genius to integrate wifi and skip the country after installation, but maybe it is difficult to supply the power requirements for the desired length of time.

[Edit: I tend towards thinking retailer based card cloning is unlikely in NZ unless the individual is planning to leave the country very quickly. It is straightforward for a bank to track it down on the first complaint]

[Edit: This has got me thinking about using an alternative daily EFTPOS working account with no access to savings accounts etc]

Oblivian

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#601873 29-Mar-2012 12:32

BlueShift:
alasta: I think it would probably be a bit easier to get away with on an Eftpos transaction because customers probably quite often don't check the dollar amount on the display before they enter their PIN. I always force myself to check it each time - I find that it's not a natural habit.

How often have you found the wrong amount charged?

Local chippy was going to charge me 89c for tea instead of 8.90 (yes, I was honest.. they are good folk)

And have had gas station on a few occasions try and charge me $500 instead of a $50 fuel topoff

And yes, less likely to happen on a Keylink enabled terminal

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Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

alasta

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#601894 29-Mar-2012 13:14

BlueShift:
alasta: I think it would probably be a bit easier to get away with on an Eftpos transaction because customers probably quite often don't check the dollar amount on the display before they enter their PIN. I always force myself to check it each time - I find that it's not a natural habit.

How often have you found the wrong amount charged?

Like the others here it has happened once recently in my favour but I pointed it out as it was my local Indian takeaway who offers excellent service.

Skolink

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#603088 31-Mar-2012 23:29

While using an ATM today, it struck me that banks are setting up their customers to be scammed. The ATM had a large green object stuck over the card slot, which I assume was to prevent a skimming machine being attached.
The thing is, the photos of a skimming machine I've seen look just like it, so when there really is a skimming machine attached, people won't think anything of it.

Same goes for emails from the bank, it is so stupid of them to include hyperlinks to their website. Instead they aught to have a statement saying "We don't ever include links in our emails. Don't ever enter your login details after clicking on a link. Always type in the correct website address yourself."

dontpanic42

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#603103 1-Apr-2012 00:04

Skolink: While using an ATM today, it struck me that banks are setting up their customers to be scammed. The ATM had a large green object stuck over the card slot, which I assume was to prevent a skimming machine being attached.
The thing is, the photos of a skimming machine I've seen look just like it, so when there really is a skimming machine attached, people won't think anything of it.

Same goes for emails from the bank, it is so stupid of them to include hyperlinks to their website. Instead they aught to have a statement saying "We don't ever include links in our emails. Don't ever enter your login details after clicking on a link. Always type in the correct website address yourself."

The same also applies when a bank supposedly rings you up. Whether it be for a problem with your account, or just calling about the usual credit card repayment insurance routine.

I never used to worry about it, but now I usually ask if I can get a reference number, and then tell them I will call back using their official listed number and quote the reference number.
IMO, any bank that doesn't support a customer's request to proceed this way doesn't value security at all.

It's an added hassle, yes, but you never know who might be calling, even if the caller ID is showing a "bank" phone number.

richms

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#603105 1-Apr-2012 00:11

I go off at anyone that calls and wants to verify my identity, that I want to verify _their_ identity and none so far have obliged. Particularly those idiot call centers that make outgoing calls with a withheld number (assuming I answer it at all)

Richard rich.ms

lucky015

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#603112 1-Apr-2012 00:55

old3eyes: Shouldn't the banks be crawling into the 21st century and all efpos cards be chipped like the credit cards meaning no card swipe just plug in..??

Horrible things, I consistently seem to pull the card out too early and it whines and declines the transaction and if I don't do that then I leave it in too long and it cancels it then, Paranoid I'm going to leave the card sitting there sticking out of the machine one day if I use it so I just keep that one in my wallet and use my normal EFTPOS card.

I used to be annoyed by my local KFC for nearly charging me $400 instead of $40 once, Annoyed me for a while and then they changed to an automated system, My Local KFC now has the slowest system I have ever seen, From the last touch of the screen by the teller to the time the system registers the price can be upwards of 30 seconds.

richms

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#603113 1-Apr-2012 00:59

Oh mine has that same system at the KFC - at least its self swipe now, but I have had the chicken ready on the tray infront of me and still not had the swipe prompt happen on the eftpos machine.

Richard rich.ms

lucky015

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#603114 1-Apr-2012 01:01

If only the staff at my one where capable of working that fast, Unfortunately its in a mall and there always seems to be a line for it with one person working behind the counter.

richms

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#603115 1-Apr-2012 01:07

And many times I have been in the eftpos has been down on one or more register, but they could still take cash. Handy when there is a massive queue of only card carriers at the other register ;)

Richard rich.ms

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