Hi, ATM skimmers –or fraud devices that criminals attach to cash machines in a bid to steal and ultimately clone customer bank card data — are marketed on a surprisingly large number of open forums and Web sites. For example,ATM barker operates a forum that claims to sell or even rent ATM skimmers. * Tradekey.com*, a place where you can find truly anything for sale, also Market this devices on the cheap.
The truth is that most of these skimmers openly advertised are little more than scams designed to separate clueless crooks from their ill-gotten gains. Start poking around on some of the more exclusive online fraud forums for sellers who have built up a reputation in this business and chances are eventually you will hit upon the real deal. Generally, these custom-made devices are not cheap, and you won’t find images of them plastered all over the Web. Take these pictures, for instance, which were obtained directly from an ATM skimmer maker in Russia. This custom-made skimmer kit is designed to fit on an *NCR ATM model 5886*, and it is sold on a few criminal forums for about 8,000 Euro — shipping included. It consists of two main parts: The upper portion is a carefully molded device that fits over the card entry slot and is able to read and record the information stored on the card’s magnetic stripe (I apologize for the poor quality of the pictures: According to the exif dta included in he page, they were taken earlier this year with a *Nokia 3250 *phone). The second component is a PIN capture device that is essentially a dummy metal plate with a look-alike PIN entry pad designed to rest direct on top of the actual PIN pad, so that any keypresses will be both sent to the real ATM PIN pad and recorded by the fraudulent PIN pad overlay. Both the card skimmer and the PIN pad overlay device relay the data they’ve stolen via text message, and each has its own miniature GSM Device that relays SMS messages (buyers of these kits are responsible for supplying their own SIM CARDS). According to the vendor of this skimmer set, the devices are powered by lithium ion batteries, and can run for 3-5 days on a charge, assuming the skimmers transmit on average about 200-300 SMS messages per day. This skimmer kit even includes an alarm feature so that if it is removed — either by the fraudster or a bank manager or passerby — the devices will immediately transmit any of their stored stolen data. Skimmers can be alarming, but they’re not the only thing that can go wrong at an ATM. It’s a good idea to visit only ATMs that are in well-lit and public areas, and to be aware of your surroundings as you approach the cash machine. Also, don’t be shy about covering the PIN pad with your hand so that any shoulder-surfers (or hidden cameras) can’t see your code. If you find an ATM skimmer or other fraud device attached to an ATM, report it to the bank. If the bank is closed, it’s probably a good idea to leave the device alone and to call the police: There is a good chance that the thief who attached the device is somewhere nearby. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "nforceit" group. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nforceit?hl=en-GB.
