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DaBull
August 15, 2009 9:09 PM
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Banks should start to post notices on their ATM's to show what the card slot is SUPPOSED to look like, so that people who are not aware of skimmers may notice one.

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5 replies
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wildwhuck
August 17, 2009 2:04 PM
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@DaBull: my banks atm reader is metal. any plastic would be immediately noticeable.

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say what?!
August 17, 2009 5:11 AM
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@DaBull: some are! well, at least in London. I was just there last week and two ATMs near Trafalgar Square had signs that said that have been recent targets of skimming devices (except they didn't use the word, skimming. can't remember what they used, though).

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TechnoDestructo
August 15, 2009 10:09 PM
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@DaBull:

Then the thieves put fake notices over those.

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bastion72
August 15, 2009 10:47 PM
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@TechnoDestructo: Show a video of it on the screen. Unless they hack the ATM itself. But then the banks would lose that valuable 5 seconds worth of advertising you get when you're getting your ATM card out of your wallet/purse. Catch 22.

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fjoekjui
August 15, 2009 9:27 PM
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@DaBull:
This might actually help the scammers. If they print up a pretty picture that shows the skimmer and says this is how an ATM is supposed to look, it might give false confidence to the potential victim.

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savdavid
August 15, 2009 9:10 PM
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Now the gang knows the FBI is after them. The banks were probably promised they would get their money back and as a condition they had to reimburse their depositors of any money taken.

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3 replies
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humphrmi
August 16, 2009 12:35 AM
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@savdavid: Admittedly I'm no FBI agent, but I fail to see how the element of surprise helps them here.

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doctor_cos wants you to remain calm
August 15, 2009 9:52 PM
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@savdavid: And the FBI is doing such a fine job based on all of the skimmer gangs they have already caught...oh, wait.

Folks, if you see something like that on any ATM or a gas pump, give it a good yank.

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LoveyH
August 15, 2009 9:19 PM
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@savdavid: Well, seeing as they are commiting a pretty serious crime, I think they're probably already aware that the FBI, or some type of law enforcement, is after them.

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pockygt
August 15, 2009 9:15 PM
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Well, I do appreciate this story, as I am about to go to Chicago. This is good to know.

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nagumi
August 15, 2009 9:23 PM
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But... you didn't even tell us why it wasn't in the paper like you promised! :(

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wvFrugan
August 15, 2009 9:30 PM
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@nagumi:
Because the ATM owners are bigger thieves than the skinners.

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DePaulBlueDemon
August 15, 2009 9:51 PM
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Haven't heard a thing about it!

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Crazy Cat Lady
August 15, 2009 10:12 PM
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I'm the person who sent the original e-mail. The intro is a little oddly worded. I didn't ask anyone why the incident wasn't reported in the paper and nobody told me. My theory is that the banks don't want people to know how widespread this is. They're afraid we'll all stop using the ATMs and debit cards they make so much money from.


As for the FBI thing, these guys would have to be idiots not to know the authorities are after them. Whenever money is stolen from a bank, the feds get involved. I do wonder how hard they are looking for them, though. Maybe I watch too many cop shows, but is it that difficult to catch people who keep committing the same crime over and over in the same area?


Anyway, I'm just a little ticked that the banks and law enforcement aren't doing more to educate people about this problem. It's so easy to prevent yourself from being a victim if you're armed with a little knowledge.

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NotYou007
August 15, 2009 11:33 PM
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Where I live I don't think it has ever happened but thanks to this web site I have started pulling on the card readers before I use one.

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2 replies
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cash_da_pibble
August 17, 2009 5:06 PM
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@NotYou007:
indeed, I literally maul any ATM I shove my card into- yanking the card deposit, trying to lift signs on the face, checking the lightbulbs and the camera shields.


The BF looks at me funny, but I'm used to it.

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minsky
August 16, 2009 12:16 AM
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Yep, it seems all Chicago media is concerned with is sports (witness the lead story on the 10 pm news about the guy who dumped a beer on a player at a Cubs game - who gives a rats ass about that!) or other fluffy, non-newsworthy stories. Too bad they don't cover the real stuff that affects people's bottom lines.


It's really a shame!

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Krobar
August 16, 2009 4:19 PM
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@minsky: I dunno, I think the beer throwing story is pretty funny, especially when someone on another forum pointed out(you can see it in the videos and pictures) that they escorted out someone else, not the beer thrower...lol

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FlyersFan
August 16, 2009 12:46 PM
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@minsky:
Same here in Philly. The news is like 30% TMZ stuff, 20% traffic and weather, 10% sports, 10% news and the rest of the time is for commercials.

I really dont care about Michael Jackson's frozen body or Jon and Kate. Just give me the damn local news!

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PsiCop
August 16, 2009 12:23 AM
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The reason why this story is not being reported, is unstated. All that is said is that the FBI and other authorities have known about this \"skimmer ring\" for a while.

Are we to imply that it's the FBI et al who've instructed the papers and stations not to report it? If so, how does this help them? If this ring has already been moving through the Chicago region, they'll eventually work their way elsewhere, and there will be nothing to report ... and no one left to prosecute.

Doesn't add up.

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FlyersFan
August 16, 2009 12:43 PM
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The banks should have the ATMs inspected daily to protect their customers. There's no reason a bank shouldnt take a few minutes each day to make sure someone isnt messing with their machines and stealing from their customers.

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1 replies
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TouchMyMonkey
August 16, 2009 12:54 PM
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@FlyersFan: Good point. Somebody has to come around on a regular basis to put money in the thing anyway, right?

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HogwartsAlum
August 16, 2009 1:38 PM
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My sister lives in the 'burbs up there. I will email her this.

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aswearengen
August 16, 2009 2:27 PM
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Instead of leaving it up to the consumer to determine if there is a card skimmer, why don't banks, as part of their opening procedures, have someone examine the ATMs to make sure there are no skimmer devices on them? The bank employees are more likely to tell if there is a skimmer, and if they are checked every morning, at most a skimmer is going to get 1 day's worth of data. It's not like banks have a thousand ATMs in a branch, at most its going to be under 10, and it would take all of 10 minutes, at the most, to look them over.

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Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
August 16, 2009 7:45 PM
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@aswearengen: The reason they won't do that is because its logical. Logic and the banking industry do not compute.

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Mecharine
August 16, 2009 4:11 PM
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Ive been jiggling the card receptacle for a good while now. With the way the skimmers are fitted, they usually fall right out . Also, be wary of boxes or hanging objects, as they can read your PIN with a microcamera.

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maruawe42
August 16, 2009 6:05 PM
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if the skimmers crossed state lines ,It's probably the FBI that is keeping it out of the newspapers and police information as it would be an ongoing investigation, The FBI doesn't think that the public needs to know or how to
identify a skimmer... have seen this happen before with a serial rapist that ws raping women in seven states, The FBI even had a picture of the gu but failedd to post it as an ongoing investigation... It sucks but that it the way it's done..

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ChicagoWriter
August 16, 2009 8:53 PM
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I am a Chicago journalist. Why are some of you jumping to the conclusion that the \"media\" is covering up this story? The fact is, how can we write about this crime when the FBI and the local police HAVE NOT informed anyone about it? There has been no alert issued that I am aware of, and no mention of the Chase Bank incident. I thank the Consumerist for sharing this.

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cjnewbs
August 16, 2009 9:42 PM
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I think to combat this problem cash machines should display on the screen what the card slot on that particular machine is meant to look like. Barclays in the UK is doing this with their ATMs. However instead of saying. \"The slot should look like this\", The cash machines actually display \"The card slot should look like this, or this\".

Yes they are showing 2 images, but not saying what it should actually look like. It is somewhat pointless.

It wouldn't be too bad, but considering it is possible to modify the first cashpoint, to make it look like the 2nd cashpoint with a skimmer is applied it creates a false sense of security.

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jwrose
August 17, 2009 3:17 AM
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Whoa.. I work in Park Ridge- fortunately I don't use that bank. Crazy thing was- one of the other banks there was robbed last week. Think I'll do my banking elsewhere.

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darcygreen
August 17, 2009 3:41 PM
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I just used a new RBC atm machine here in Edmonton, Canada. The slot where you put your card in is circular and looks like a plastic dome. The \"dome\" is also contoured so any kind of rectangular skimmer will not fit over. Also the slot is opaque with a green light flashing inside it, So the whole insert slot lights up. I also noticed that the slot sticks out quite a bit from the rest of the machine so if a skimmer is actually fit over the \"dome\", the whole unit will stick out from the machine beyond the space that the atm actually fits it. I was very impressed with the design. Now only if they were at all the RBCs I bank at.

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O5LTC
August 22, 2009 6:25 PM
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Do not be fooled in thinking that the shape of the reader and having a green light will keep a device from being added to the ATM. Thieves have already figured out how to use the same type of clear plastic and mold a very small piece to fit on the card reader. I have been following ATM skimming very closely and have even seen some of the devices. You would not believe some of them. There is a device that banks can purchase to put on the ATMs to keep this from occurring, but banks don't believe it is a big issue.

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