A new variation of card skimming at automated teller machines (ATMs), which gives criminals access to customers’ bank accounts, has gripped the country, Absa said on Wednesday.
”Two or three criminals will approach the customer and cancel the transaction. While two criminals keep the customer busy the other criminal takes the customer’s card and swipes it through a hand-held skimming device,” Absa Group executive director of retail delivery Venete Klein said.
The thieves, using a hand-held device, make a duplicate copy of the customer’s card, giving them full access to the customer’s account once he or she has left the ATM.
Klein said that in some instances the criminals also persuade the customer to move to another ATM to process the transaction.
”The customer is still able to proceed with the transaction … but usually the fraud is only discovered when the customer tries to draw money again and there are insufficient funds available.”
She said criminals usually use the duplicate card by the same afternoon or evening of the robbery.
According to Pravesh Mahadeo, general manager of the Absa Group self-service channel, the ATM stalkers are not bound to a particular province.
”These guys are so mobile that they actually jump planes between provinces, so there is no specific location. Anyone using any ATM needs to be aware.”
Those affected by the scam should immediately change their personal identification number at the ATM, which makes it unnecessary to stop the card.
Should a customer not have the original card any more, they should immediately phone their banking branch to stop their card. — Sapa