UAE | Crime
Police issue warning over ATM fraud
Fraudsters continue to fleece people using both high-tech and old-fashioned methods, say police. Banks have issued warnings for customers to be vigilant if the ATM machine looks as though it has been tampered with or has external fittings and loose wiring.
- By Mahmood Saberi, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 August 8, 2006
- Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
- A customer withdraws money from a pavement ATM. For illustrative purposes only.
Dubai: Fraudsters continue to fleece people using both high-tech and old-fashioned methods, say police.
Sharjah Police has warned the public to be aware of any suspicious movements around ATM machines and to make sure no one follows you after you have withdrawn money.
HSBC Bank has also sent a brochure, called Secure Banking to most of its customers advising them to be suspicious of anyone offering help when using an ATM, "even if [the person] is dressed as a bank employee or security staff."
Sharjah Police recently arrested three men after they stole Dh14,000 from a gullible person who had withdrawn a large sum of money from an ATM. One of the fraudsters managed to convince him to give him the money as he wished to see the difference between genuine and counterfeit notes.
The man found that not all his money was returned and called for help. He then ran after the three men and a police patrol joined in the chase in the Al Qasimiya area of Dubai. A search of their accommodation yielded large sums of money, the police said.
Meanwhile, most banks had taken 'proactive steps' following an earlier advisory by the Central Bank that some of their customers could be targeted by online scammers, said a senior manager with Standard Chartered.
He said it followed up the lead for a "few hundred" of its customers, but that "none of their accounts were compromised".
Sanjoy Chowdhury, senior manager of regional corporate affairs, said the only way to completely stop ATM fraud is to introduce 'chip-based cards'.
Chowdhury explained that while it is easy to skim off data from the magnetic strips of the ATM cards, it is impossible to copy data from chip-based cards, unless you physically have the card with you.
The chip-based cards have all the information in algorithm format, making it impossible to forge, he said.
Other banks have also issued warnings for customers to be vigilant if the ATM machine looks as though it has been tampered with or has external fittings and loose wiring. "Always shield with your finger when entering your ATM pin," said one bank advisory.
Your comments
I always ensure that no one around is watching me entering my pin no. If I find someone suspicious standing near by, I always make sure I don't withdraw cash at that time. You can't expect the bank or police to be always near ATM's. You are also responsible for the security and crime rate of a place. The more vigilant you are the less crime will happen.
Ajoy
Dubai,India
Even if all the banks in the UAE replace their existing ATM cards with chip cards, they will still be open to the type of fraud attack seen in the UAE a couple of months ago because the magnetic stripe data can be exported to another country where the ATM's are not protected by chip card readers.
Name withheld by request
Dubai,UAE
It's totally the bank's responsibility to provide enough security measures for it's customers while using the ATM machine. I suggest a security guard should be there in all ATMs like the Indian ATMS.
Murugesh
Dubai,UAE
I suggest that to avoid fraudsters, the ATM should be kept in some kind of control room monitored by police or bank security round the clock.
Abdulaziz
Sana'a,Yemen
I think it is everybody's responsibility to fight against crime. Banks have to ensure optimum security. Bank users should also practice caution when entering PIN numbers and withdrawing cash. There has to be some sort of security coverage around all ATMs to avoid others overseeing your transaction.
Ilyas
Dubai,UAE
No matter what we do there will always be thugs around. As per my experience, never use the ATM in an isolated area to avoid trouble.
Nawab
Khobar,Saudi Arabia
The ATM machine should keep inside a cabin and accessed through only by swaping the ATM card. This will give privacy to the customer.
K.S.Nair
Dubai,UAE
My clear message to banks is they must find a way to tackle this problem, whether by introducing a chip card or something else but they must do something. This is for themselves as business enterprises and for their customers who consume their services. Most of us now walk around without money in pocket but cards which we believe are equal to money, you can not stop feeling a chill down your spine when you start thinking how if the next day I go to an ATM machine and find out that I have zero balance in my account; all money swept by the fraudsters which technically is now possible.
Mussa
Dubai,UAE
The option of having ATMs in shopping malls where there is proper security helps.
Zubair
Kallar Kahar,Pakistan
No matter what security the bank has, crooks will always find a way to breach them. My suggestion though is to redesign the ATM installation sideways creating a small space in front of the machine just enough for one person doing the transactions. This way other people in the queue on the side of the machine, behind a yellow line 1.5 meters away won't be able to see the ATM screen.
Reg
Dubai,UAE
I read some of the comments from customers using ATMs. I really wonder what is the logic of angling the ATM machines to face the road. It would be much safer if they were on the right or left side, in a way that the bank's security is not compromised.
Arif
Lahore,Pakistan
I have seen that several banks have now placed a security guard in almost all their branches. When somebody from the bank is present, you feel safe and other people who might plan to rob others cannot do so because there are security guards present.
Peter
Dubai,UAE
As is the case with all mega cities in the world, as the population grows, the crime rate increases. I suggest more patrolling by police and having a security guard on each ATM machine as well as reduction of money withdrawal limit of each day.
Hatim
Dubai,UAE
It is the banks responsibility to provide adequate security for customers while using the ATM machine. In Kerala every ATM machine is placed in a closed cabin with a security person sitting right outside the cabin.
Jobin
Sharjah,UAE
There should be a closed cabin accessible only for a single person and with a curtain three sides. I think this may solve the problem.
Moid
Manama,Bahrain
I have seen in India a small glass room where only one person can enter to withdraw cash from an ATM. You feel safer because no one can trace your PIN number/the amount. It would be good if that could be implemented here.
Kani
Dubai,UAE
Banks must come up with the thumb print option instead of magnetic card or chip card. A thumb impression is totally safe instead of entering a PIN.
Imtiyaz
Dubai,UAE
My friend's wife had 38,000 Dhs in her bag which was stolen whilst looking for parking nearby a bank in Dubai. a guy came to her window and told her that she had a flat tire. Another man opened the door and ran away with her bag. She only knew her bag was stolen when she managed to find a parking spot.
Carlos
Dubai,UAE
It has been observed that almost all the banks have a lock on the entrance doors of their ATM lobby which is supposed to open only by swapping the ATM card. This is good idea to restrict entry of only the card holder and not to let unauthorized people enter the ATM lobby. However I have never found the lock working. The doors are just left open without any security guard and locks not working. Banks carry this responsibility towards security of their machines.
Sohaib
Sharjah,UAE
One should be vigilant when withdrawing money from ATM machines. There are many scams and people lurking around the machines waiting for victims. I myself, when I withdraw from a machine, immediately put the money inside my bag/wallet and I don't count it anymore as some people do before leaving the machine. Sometimes there are people in line who stay so close to you I don't shy and I tell them frankly to back off a little, you never know maybe they are watching you and taking note of your PIN number and you might be the next prey.
Jaymee
Abu Dhabi,UAE
For the security of ATM users it would be better if there are enclosures around ATMs so that nobody other than the user can see the ongoing transactions including the entering of the PIN. Most of the time what happens is people standing behind the ATM user get to see the transactions, although not always intentionally. Sometimes it's embarrassing when others come to know about the balance amount.
Yasir
Sharjah,UAE
Nowadays all the banks are eager to provide the ATM cards to all its customers and customers like to carry cards in place of money. It's become so common that it induces some people to search for options to steal other's money. This leads to malpractices. It's high time to find alternatives to sort out fraudulent activities. Banks have to come out with a solution for this and it should be on a par with customer interest like not charge anything for such new cards.
Viju
RAK,UAE
There should be more security, the reason being that security is always sleeping, keeping newspaper in hands showing that he is reading and not alert.
Ruhi
Sharjah,UAE
It will be great help, if your paper can publish article indicating the various measures to follow or to take caution for safeguarding our own money.
Gosalia
Dubai,UAE
The world has become a difficult place to move around, because of a handful of fraudsters. I advise the public to be vigilant in general and help out others when they sense trouble. Unity of the people will flush out these anti-socials.
Usha
Sharjah,UAE
Thank you for your valuable newspaper and its effort to make people aware of fraud. Yes the UAE is safe and we must try to keep it safe and that is our reposniblity. A lot of people visit the UAE daily from differnet parts of the world. We don't know who are they most of them are good and few of them are not. So this is our responsibility to take care of our environment.
Yousef
Dubai,UAE
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