EAST Publishes European Fraud Update

July 19, 2010 - PRLog -- Skimming at ATMs remains an issue with five countries reporting increases in incidents, and four countries decreases.  Two countries have reported a new trend of European payment cards being skimmed at ATMs outside of national borders (and in some cases outside of Europe).  An ‘all-in-one’ device (incorporating a micro camera for PIN capture and a skimming device for card data capture) is becoming more widely used.  The increasing trend of the majority of losses due to skimming occurring outside of EMV liability shift areas continues.  The main criminal groupings engaged in skimming at ATMs in Europe continue to be Romanian and Bulgarian nationals.

With regard to skimming attacks at other payment terminals, attacks on unattended petrol station terminals (UPTs) appear to be increasing, while attacks against attended point of sales (POS) terminals continue.  Cross-border cooperation has resulted in the arrest of nine people involved in these attacks in two countries, as well as the closure of a factory producing skimming devices.

Card trapping attacks, often referred to as Lebanese Loop attacks due to one variant, continue to be reported, although a recent trend has been noted.  Instead of trapping the card, the criminals observe the PIN being entered and then steal the card (using distraction of other techniques).

Transaction reversal fraud (TRF) continues in two countries and cash trapping attacks were reported in four countries.

Ram raids and ATM burglary were reported by seven countries, one reporting increases in such attacks and two decreases.  Explosive and gas attacks were reported by three countries, primarily at remote site locations.

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The European ATM Security Team (EAST) is a ‘not-for-profit’ organisation that gathers information from, and shares outputs with, ATM deployers and networks. While the main focus is on ATMs, EAST also covers ATM related crime at all payment terminals.