EAST Publishes European Fraud Update 1-2012

March 14, 2012 - PRLog -- This Fraud Update is based on country crime updates given by representatives of 19 countries in the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), and 2 non-SEPA countries, at the 26th EAST meeting held in Frankfurt on 8th February 2011.

Skimming attacks at ATMs were reported by all but two of the countries, with seven countries reporting increases in such incidents, and four countries decreases.  It has been reported that criminals are leaving devices in place for longer periods of time, in some cases as long as one week.

The trend of the majority of skimming related losses occurring outside of EMV* liability shift areas continues. From January 2011 to January 2012 such losses were reported in 50 countries outside of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and in 14 countries within SEPA.  The USA remains the top location for such losses, followed by the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Russia.  Regional card blocking (card issuers blocking domestic payment cards for usage outside of Europe) continues to be successful, with three countries reporting resultant falls in skimming incidents and related losses.

Cash trapping incidents were reported by seventeen countries, a significant increase since the last report, although this type of attack is now decreasing in some of them as counter-measures are rolled out.  

The increase in the numbers of countries reporting this type of attack shows a continuance of the trend first reported in EAST’s most recent European ATM Crime Report (covering January to June 2011)**.

Card trapping incidents were reported by four countries, one of them reporting the usage of razor edge spring traps.  Two others reported loop traps, of which the most common variant is Lebanese loop.

Ram raids and ATM burglary were reported by seven countries.  Lobby type ATMs located in convenience stores are being increasingly targeted.  Explosive gas attacks were reported by four countries.

The full Update is available to EAST subscribers and details of how to subscribe to EAST can be found at https://www.european-atm-security.eu  

*EMV (also known as ‘chip and PIN’) is an industry standard for Smart Cards and card readers, supported by the European Payments Council and the major payment schemes
**The European ATM Crime Report covering January to December 2011 is due for publication in late March/early April 2012.

ENDS

(Background data on the Fraud Update & EAST follow)

For more information on EAST visit http://www.european-atm-security.eu / http://www.facebook.com/EASTatm


EUROPEAN ATM FRAUD UPDATE 1-2012

The above release is based on a European Fraud Update prepared three times a year by EAST, based on country crime updates given at its meetings.  These Updates are prepared by EAST to provide interested parties with an overview of the European ATM crime situation.  They are produced for EAST members, law enforcement officers and other EAST associates, and EAST subscribers.  The following countries supplied full or partial information for this Update:

Austria; Belgium; Canada; Czech Republic; Denmark; Finland; France; Germany; Hungary; Ireland; Italy; Liechtenstein; the Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russia; Spain; Switzerland; the United Kingdom.

EAST has taken reasonable measures to develop this Update in a fair, reasonable, open, and objective manner.  However, EAST makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the completeness of the Update.  In addition, as the information in the Update has been passed to EAST by other parties, errors or mistakes may exist or be discovered.  Neither EAST nor its members, authors, or agents shall be liable for any loss, damage, or claim with respect to any such information being provided.  All such liabilities, including direct, special, indirect, or consequential damages, are expressly disclaimed and excluded.

ABOUT EAST

Founded in 2004, EAST is a ‘non-profit’ organisation whose members are committed to gathering information from, and disseminating EAST reports to ATM deployers and networks within their countries/regions. While the main focus of EAST is on ATMs, the group also focuses on all payment terminals that have a direct impact on crime perpetrated at ATM locations.

Our mission is to gather and provide information to the European ATM industry and to facilitate effective representation of ATM related security issues at relevant European central institutions, through a pan-European co-ordination of ATM security resources.
EAST has set up a framework network structure to improve co-operation with industry, law enforcement, and in particular Europol, in order to achieve awareness and better results in the fight against organised cross-border crime.  EAST members represent 28 countries with a total deployment of 555,979 ATMs.  More information can be found at http://www.european-atm-security.eu

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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.