Watch Out For Bank Card Skimming At Machines

10th January 2012

Police re-issue advice following card skimming incident in Inverness.

Northern Constabulary is re-issuing advice about some of the things members of the public can do to avoid becoming victims of card skimming following an incident at Morrisons in Inverness at the weekend.

The Force has produced an informative seven minute film about card skimming, which features Inverness Community Safety officer PC Euan McGibbon and chair of Crimestoppers for Highlands and Islands Jim Ferguson.

It is available on the Northern Constabulary website (http://www.northern.police.uk/scams.htm) and on the Force's Facebook and Twitter channels.

The film provides people with an easy to remember acronym (C.H.I.P.) which Police hope the public will bear in mind when using ATMs.

C is for check the machine. H advises you to hide your pin. I means inform the Police and the bank and P means put your money/cash away. By following this advice you can greatly reduce the chances of becoming a victim of this crime.

Teams of organised criminals have in the past targeted ATM users by stealing their bank card details and PIN numbers with sophisticated card-skimming devices and cameras.

The film shows the public what to look out for and goes into details about how these machines work.

The Force has already has success in relation to this type of crime. On 9 August 2011, two men were jailed at Inverness Sheriff Court as a result of their involvement in card skimming at ATMs in the Inverness area in March of this year. This was a result of extensive enquiry by Northern Constabulary. Those convicted were part of a wider, organised criminal network and continued vigilance by both the police and members of the public is required.

The provides useful advice so that members of the public know more about this type of crime and can be better informed when they use ATMs.

Card skimming occurs when the criminals fit a device over the normal card entry slot on the front of an ATM and a hidden camera directed at the keypad. The camera is usually concealed behind a false plate which is designed to look like a genuine part of the ATM. However, there will be a very small hole for the camera, as indicated in the pictures provided and this will be visible if a user checks the machine carefully before use.

The skimming device captures the card details and the hidden camera records the PIN number. A replica card is then made and used to withdraw cash from the victims account. Usually those who commit this type of crime will be in the vicinity of the machine, observing activity and making sure that the ATM user does not detect their equipment.

Criminals have also been known to disable nearby cash machines as a means of channelling users towards their specially adapted machine.