ATM/Card FRaud: Warning from Bank Windhoek

**Oneword** · 14th November 2007, 01:12 AM

A skimming device was found on Bank Windhoek’s Gobabis branch’s ATM on the morning of 8 November 2007. Thanks to the observant staff of Bank Windhoek’s Gobabis branch, the device was discovered before any card information could be compromised. Bank Windhoek would therefore like to warn our clients to be on the lookout for any suspicious device on any ATM and to report any such device or suspicion immediately to Bank Windhoek’s Helpdesk at Tel: (061) 2991200, to their nearest Bank Windhoek branch or the Namibian Police.

A team of organized criminals is installing equipment on ATM's to steal both the ATM card number and the PIN. Clients should not use the ATM if there are any suspicious devices attached to the ATM and report it immediately.

The equipment used to capture the ATM card number is cleverly disguised by the criminals to look like normal ATM equipment. A "skimmer” or “skimming device” is mounted to the front of the normal ATM card slot that reads the ATM card number and stores the information on a memory stick or transmits the information to a receiver device nearby. At the same time, a fake keypad is installed over the genuine keypad to capture the PIN entries and stores the information on a memory stick or transmits the information to a receiver device nearby. The criminals copy the cards and use the PIN numbers to withdraw thousands from many accounts in a very short time directly from the ATM.

Card fraud has been increasing locally and internationally. Bank Windhoek and local commercial banks have encountered increases in cases of card fraud over the past few months. In the light of these incidences the Bank would like to encourage banking clients to be aware of fraudulent attempts and take reasonable actions to prevent card fraud.

Please click here for photographs of the skimming device installed on an ATM as well as a fake key pad.
“Bank Windhoek supports industry initiatives in eliminating ATM and card fraud. Therefore, we have joined forces with the other commercial banks in preventing card fraud in Namibia. In the coming months the banking industry as a whole will increasingly strive to inform and educate clients about card fraud and how to prevent it,” said Stoney Steenkamp, Manager: Cards and Support Services at Bank Windhoek.

If you are aware of any suspicious activities in this regard, please report it to Bank Windhoek’s Forensic Department at (061) 299 1332. For any other card related enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact Bank Windhoek’s Card and Support Services Department at (061) 299 1209.

**Oneword** · 21st November 2007, 04:02 PM

I am caught off guard, but at least ONE of our banks was recently (this week?) in the news, saying they are handing out material regarding the ATM fraud. May even have been Bank Whk. Should have kept my ears open...........

**Dude** · 21st November 2007, 04:04 PM

Thanks Onword - do you know anything about these gangs? Are they local?

**Oneword** · 21st November 2007, 04:12 PM

Hi Dude,

Thanks. No, sorry, have not really kept my eye on this. Will try and check it out and report back, though.

Get the idea, that our Big Brother from down south may have a fat finger or two in the pie .....

**Pietro** · 24th November 2007, 04:00 PM

Good light, people around you and good old common sense - and the chances of being ripped off are sooooo much smaller!!!!

**Ar.** · 2nd December 2007, 10:46 PM

It is just very interesting to see how the fast high speed development of IT are used not only in developed countries, but also in the developing countries. I think this the millenium way for crime.

In Europe, the skimmers are so developed, that they use these skimming tactics in gas stations or supermarkets. They simply manipulate Credit and EC Card terminals, without the knowledge of the owners. Even the victim would not notice a thing before the attack. Mostly the victims realise weeks after money has been skimming from them. This when the criminals empty their bank accounts.

Alone in NRW (Nordrhein-Westfalen) in Germany, 120 cases were reprorted to the Landeskriminalämter in this year untill Ocktober. Last year 68 skimming surprise attacks were registered.

These were in cases where the banks discovered the manipulation. Altogether untill 2007 - 891 skimming attacks were dicovered at the automated teller machines, at 251 different automated teller machines in Germany, from January till September 2007.

NRW taking the lead with 438 lonely attacks and Baden-Württemberg follow with 129 manupilations. Most of the criminals are from Rumania and Bulgaria, according to video tapes at the automated teller machines.

They were used mostlz at the well known Wincor-Nixdorf Modell ProCash 2050 as well aqs some NCR automated teller machines. They used the MSD Technic Microcontroller-Schaltungen, not bigger then the size of a thumb nail.

Simple tricks, bank officials work together with the criminals, and accumulate the data for input. They copy the data and read the PIN in or ask the customer to re-input the PIN.

In Hessen, the damage were €850 000,- from 560 EC Card manupilated POS- terminals. The banks carry these charges.

These criminals are mostly in more the one country active, when they use the MM Code security magnet bands. There is enough cheap card copies. One group develop the skimming equipment,another transport the equipment and another build it in. The fourth group supply the card copiers.

Wincor Nixdorf in the mean time add to their ATMs CPK+ at a cost of €990,-/ATM. About 53 000 ATMs in Germany have the anti skimming devices.

I trust this will help in the prevention of crime and safe a lot of time for the investigating officers. Even the IT development have some times its negative effect. Thanks for freedom of information. I have some other cool sites on this if any one is interested in more.

Cheerio now

ps. sorry for the spell errors and bad language, ek's 'n doodgewone kleurling klong wat gewoond is aan afrikaans praat, maar my moeder taal het 'n vloek woord geword na die vryheid van Namibia. Om nie te praat van 'n werkie nie, net wonder werke kan my 'n werk in Namibia besorg. Bly maar hier in koue Europa.

**Pietro** · 5th December 2007, 05:29 PM

Hey! This man talks sense!!!

Despite his being linguisticically challenged, I must congratulate Ar. on an interesting, worthwhile and thoroughly enjoyable post.

Thanks, bra! You are (nearly) forgiven!!!! Keep it up!