HeraldSun.com.au
Money swiped: The latest skimming scam picked
up at a Commonwealth Bank ATM in South Yarra
in Melbourne has been described by police as
"sophisticated".
POLICE release pictures of 'sophisticated' ATM skimmer found in shopping centre as more scam victims come forward.
Thousands may have been ripped off by the latest skim scam discovered after a customer noticed a modified ATM in South Yarra, as confirmation came of several other scams in recent days across Melbourne.
The South Yarra skimming device featured a pinhole camera attached to a plate above the keypad and a fake card reader attached to the card slot.
But the revelations have prompted Herald Sun readers to claim the skimmers have hit customers recently in Croydon, Deer Park, Frankston, Epping, Moonee Ponds, Taylors Lakes, Box Hill, Keysborough, Northcote, Chadstone and Werribee.
Among those mentioned included Commonwealth Bank machines at Werribee Plaza, outside the Moonee Ponds bank branch and at the Warrngal Shopping Centre at Heidelberg.
In the latest discovery, a customer found the device attached to a Commonwealth Bank ATM in the Jam Factory in Chapel St on Wednesday last week.
Stonnington Detective Sgt Phil Egan said police didn't know how long the skimming device had been in place.
"Until people come forward to advise us we won't have any idea how long this device has been there,'' he said.
"We're asking potential customers that may have used that machine in the time prior to lunchtime on Wednesday to check their statements for discrepancies."
Authorities today prepared to scan through days of CCTV footage to discover who may have installed the device, and when it had been placed.
Det-Sgt Egan said police were keeping an open mind on who had planted the device, but described it as "sophisticated".
They say so far no customers have come forward to say they are victims.
Commonwealth Bank spokesman Steve Batten said the bank would not reveal how many people it had alerted about the problem, and he said he could not confirm which ATMs had been affected in the past month.
But potential victims have been alerted by text message of an ATM card-skimming scam at Watergardens shopping centre, the Brimbank Leader reports.
But it is too late for some people whose accounts have been emptied. Other Commonwealth Bank customers who have used the ATMs have had their withdrawals limited to $200, until they change their PIN.
And Watergardens Commonwealth Bank customer Robert told Radio 3AW this morning there was "a queue a mile long" at the branch to change PINs after he received the text message alerting him that his ATM card had been "compromised".
He immediately called the bank to put a stop on the card.
Mr Batten said the bank was so far aware of at least two instances in which customers had been defrauded through the skimming device at an ATM machine in the Watergardens shopping centre this week.
Today, a queue of customers were at the bank to change their security PIN.
"We're pulling together a list of account holders that have potentially used the machine," Mr Batten said.
He said the bank would work with other financial institutions to alert them when their account holders had used the Watergardens ATM.
Commonwealth Bank customer Peter Koulouris, whose wife's account was emptied by the skimmers, said there was chaos at the Watergardens branch of the Commonwealth Bank after customers became aware of the situation.
Mr Batten said funds skimmed from the accounts appeared to have been debited into a single UK bank account.
On May 5, a skimming device was also found at a Commonwealth Bank ATM at the Karingal Hub shopping centre in Frankston, the Frankston Standard Leader reports.
In that case, the Commonwealth Bank notified hundreds of customers after the manager noticed the device on May 1.
Carrum Downs security guard David Wilson said $1500 was stolen from his account before the bank contacted him.
"I was told the money had been taken out of my account in six different transactions from someone in the UK," Mr Wilson said.
The Commonwealth's Steve Batten again said a handful of customers were affected, and said the bank believed the device was operating for 24 hours.
Anyone who believes they have information or have been a victim of the skimming device is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Millions lost to skim scams
According to the Australian Payments Clearing Association, $45 million was skimmed from Australian-issued credit charge and cards in the financial year to June 30 last year.
Last year, the ANZ reported more than $500,000 was stolen from up to 5000 cards from a single busy ATM in the heart of the CBD.
That device had been in place for at least a month on the corner of Collins and Elizabeth streets, before it was discovered in March last year.
A day later, authorities uncovered a similar skimming device attached to a Commonwealth Bak ATM at the Patterson Lakes Shopping Centre in Chelsea.
In that case, the scam was uncovered by chance when a mobile phone attached above the ATM screen fell to the footpath.
At the time investigators believed the scammers were working for an international gang based in Eastern Europe, who flew to Australia to conduct the attacks.
At the time, police revealed three more devices were found along King St in the city and warned more could be out there.
Similar devices have been detected in NSW, Queensland, Western Australia and New Zealand, with at least 40 ATMs in Sydney targeted.
The ANZ was forced to refund $700,000 to 400 customers targeted in Sydney.
Investigation teams from major banks have worked together, and along with state and Federal police in every state, to tackle the problem, leading to five Romanian men being charged in Melbourne last year.
Police say card users should be vigilant and cover the ATM keyboard with their hands as they tap in their PIN numbers, blocking the view of any camera that may have been installed.
In February, Melbourne detectives revealed they were on the tail of a trio of scammers using blank credit cards and details skimmed from NSW ATMs to empty peoples' bank accounts using Victorian ATMs.
How to beat the skim scammers
The technologically capable thieves continue to develop new ways to beat the banks and literally swipe customers' money.
The gangs are also using fake keyboards to record personal identification (PIN) numbers instead of concealed cameras.
That technology if installed negates bank advice to customers to cover their hands when using the keyboard.
Data is recorded and transmitted to the thieves' mobile phones via Bluetooth technology.
The scammers are currently estimated to cost Australian banks millions of dollars.
An internal document given to Commonwealth branch staff for example features "spot the difference" images in which the devices are virtually undetectable to the untrained eye.
Experts warn that most skimmers are attached to ATMs in the early hours of the morning or late evening and most are operating for fewer than 24 hours.
Unlike previous devices, modern skimming machines fit directly on existing parts of an ATM, such as the card slot.
Scammers have also begun hiding devices and wiring inside the outer casings of ATMs.
Once activated, these are programmed to record information on the magnetic strips of customers' bank cards and later used to infiltrate their bank accounts.
Security officials say customers should watch out for tell-tale signs of ATM tampering, which include scratches, marks or adhesive tape located around the machines.
