ATM Danger

sterling2000 · October 2006

Just found out my bank accounts have been gutted by someone using my ATM card and PIN out in East New York. Someone is definitely having a very, very, very good time on my dime right now.

For now on I will be following the handy advice of not using a bodega ATM machine and only use ATMs in banks. The only non-bank ATMs I ever use are in PH, so keep a look out for your own hard-earned dough.

Take it for what it's worth...

qtrain · October 2006

Similar thing happened to me a few weeks ago, but my card was cloned in Spain.

armchair_warrior · October 2006

i read many years back its pretty popular in none bank atms to clone the cards after people use it. since there is no regulations on who can have atms machines.

sterlingguy · October 2006

that totally sucks. i am sorry that happened to you, sterling2000.

it has certainly been a bad week for the neighbors on sterling place.

quijibo · October 2006

Subject: Re: ATM Danger

sterling2000 wrote: Just found out my bank accounts have been gutted by someone using my ATM card and PIN out in East New York. Someone is definitely having a very, very, very good time on my dime right now.

For now on I will be following the handy advice of not using a bodega ATM machine and only use ATMs in banks. The only non-bank ATMs I ever use are in PH, so keep a look out for your own hard-earned dough.

Take it for what it's worth...

question: how do you know it's due to a bodega atm and not an underhanded waiter/bartender/etc?

breuckelen · October 2006

I have been using the one at St. Johns and Washington (bodega). The one that sells beer and pork products regardless of religion, and all about the commerce dream of america. Never had a problem there, so far... seven years and running. :roll:

quijibo · October 2006

in order for a card to be cloned. doesn't the original card need to be swiped into a machine that can copy the info on the magnetic strip?

if so, then we're talking about theft at the ATM manufacturer's level. not the bodega level.

sterling2000 · October 2006

quijibo wrote: in order for a card to be cloned. doesn't the original card need to be swiped into a machine that can copy the info on the magnetic strip?

if so, then we're talking about theft at the ATM manufacturer's level. not the bodega level.

Yep, they need the info on the strip, plus the PIN in order to clone and use at an ATM. A waiter, bartender, etc. wouldn't have the pin (just the card info). Not saying it is the actual bodega or business owner's fault, but yes, something in league with the actual ATM manufacturer/service. Could also be someone stealing data out of a larger business chain (i.e. drugstore, supermarket, Metrocard machine, etc.). Or scarily, it could even be at a bank branch...check out these links:

http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/atmcamera.asp

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/atmtheft.htm

I'll just be avoiding using my PIN anywhere.[/url]

quijibo · October 2006

the basic point of those 2 links is:

1. don't let anyone see you type in your pin #
2. don't leave your card stuck in an ATM without making someone in authority aware
3. if you're gonna use a non-bank ATM; use one that you frequent and are familiar with

underthehill · October 2006

I remember several years ago there was an incident at Bloomingdales where people's credit cards/debit cards were being cloned. What happened was when the customer wasn't looking, the clerk would swipe the card through the machine, then swipe it again on a Palm-based handheld. The Palm handheld had software on it designed to grab all the info on the card via a swipe. At the end of the day, the clerk would give the Palm-based handheld to another person who would in turn make a clone card.

Imagine what they would have been able to do if they could have transmitted the swiped information via infrared at that time, or nowadays via Bluetooth or WiFi.

homeowner · October 2006

One way this happens is that an attachment is placed over the slot where you put your card into the atm. It also serves to grab all of your information when the card is swipped. The cloners also use cameras to pick up people entering their pin numbers. The ATM cloning scams are numerous and have even happened at some bank ATMs that did not have bank surveilance.

Key is to keep your eyes open and pay attention to what happens to your card. If you see suspicious activity call the bank immediately and ask them to block your card while you try to work it out. It will save you numerous headaches.

libbrooklyn · November 2006

thank you all very much for this info.
i never thought about this it is very scary.

brooklynpotter · November 2006

my credit card company saw suspicious activity and called me to ask if i'd been shopping at the payless shoe store in kansas city... i told them that i wasn't in kansas city, and even if i were i wouldnt be shopping at the payless.

happened locally, don't know where. but it happens.

anfield · November 2006

That's very disturbing. Everyone knows you're all about the Thom McAn's.

brooklynpotter · November 2006

hush. i told you that in private

jjb · November 2006

What's really disturbing is that someone would go to the trouble of stealing/cloning your bank card, only to use it at Payless.

brooklynpotter · November 2006

JJB wrote: What's really disturbing is that someone would go to the trouble of stealing/cloning your bank card, only to use it at Payless.

i know. and weirder, the person spent around 8 bucks

doctorj · November 2006

brooklynpotter wrote: [quote=JJB]What's really disturbing is that someone would go to the trouble of stealing/cloning your bank card, only to use it at Payless.

i know. and weirder, the person spent around 8 bucks

Are you sure you aren't a somnemptor (sleep shopper)?

whyfi · November 2006

brooklynpotter wrote: [quote=JJB]What's really disturbing is that someone would go to the trouble of stealing/cloning your bank card, only to use it at Payless.

i know. and weirder, the person spent around 8 bucks

They often make a small purchase to test the waters before indulging themselves.

anotherdayinbkln · November 2006

I read an article yesterday about a ring of budget hotels down on the southside of chicago (near where I'm from) who took advantage of riverboat casino travelers. The staff would get $100 for every Card number stolen, and then A YEAR LATER the crime ring would reproduce the numbers and use them elsewhere in America. That way, the time frame of fraud was soo wide, and the mixed locations of charges were so varied that it becomes almost impossible to track.

Just a thought, cause you said to watch out at ATMs in Prospect Heights, but this could have gone back as far as a year in any city you've been too and used a Card.

anotherdayinbkln · November 2006

here's the link to the article

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/122699,CST-NWS-scam03.article

alafairnadia · November 2006

a friend of mine in london just got roughed up by some "asians" after ripping a bunch of atm card copy thingys off of a bank of atm machines. I guess in some countries the atm card thieves post guards? insane.

brooklynpotter · November 2006

WhyFi wrote: [quote=brooklynpotter][quote=JJB]What's really disturbing is that someone would go to the trouble of stealing/cloning your bank card, only to use it at Payless.

i know. and weirder, the person spent around 8 bucks

They often make a small purchase to test the waters before indulging themselves.

well, next time they should go to bloomingdale's

jgregorie · November 2006

this is why i never use my bank card anywhere ever. i only use it to take cash out of an ATM at a name brand bank. i never use those little ghetto ATMs at bodegas and absolutely never pay for something like diner at a restaurant with it.

if you use your credit card and someone steals your number its realiativly easy to get the money back but if your bank card number gets stolen you are fucked. they basically close down all your linked acounts for like 2 weeks untill they sort it all out.

qtrain · November 2006

jgregorie wrote: they basically close down all your linked acounts for like 2 weeks untill they sort it all out.

Depends on the bank. In my case they just cancelled the card, reversed the charges, and fedexed me a new card.

sterling2000 · November 2006

This has turned into an ongoing saga for me, and I am still working this out with the bank. I've dug around and found a lot of illuminating articles around this issue.

- This biggest shocker is that while federal regulations protect consumers against credit card fraud, there is nothing protecting one from ATM/debit/bank card fraud. Banks are not legally bound to return any money to you stolen in this way, but most or some do extend this courtesy to their customers.

- Stores and ATMs are also by law not allowed to store PINs and account information, although many software systems contain little nooks and crannies where this info can linger unbeknownst to the merchant but easily identifiable by a decent hacker.

- Criminals are increasingly moving away from credit card fraud and more to these cash-based frauds as they are harder to catch and provide more options to get back on the street witha stack of Benjamins in their paws.

ATM Danger

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