Cambridge PD report skimmer found on ATM in Cambridge

[siderea]

Just got an email from the Cambridge PD, emphasis mine:

During this busy travel season, the Cambridge Police Department would like to remind ATM users to be aware of skimming devices at area ATMs. These skimming devices are being used as part of an ongoing scheme by thieves to steal account information from customers and to defraud banks. On July 1, 2016, a skimming device (card reader) was located by a customer using an ATM at a local convenience store in Cambridge. The device was attached with double-sided tape. The pinhole camera was located on a plate over the money dispenser area.

These devices are well built and appear to be part of the machine. Customers are asked to take special attention to the card reader dome, and either look over the pin pad area or the money dispenser area for any pinhole camera device.

The Cambridge Police Investigations Unit is actively following up this incident and asking patrols to periodically check ATMs in local convenience stores, gas stations, and other locations.

“If an ATM appears to have been tampered with, please report it right away to the local business and the police,” stated Detective Brian O’Connor of the Cambridge Police Department.

They link to this handy info graphic for basic explanation of skimming.

Comments

[leafshimmer.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting this info. I had never even heard of these before so it is good to be vigilant. Are they typically found on machines in "off" locations such as convenience stores rather than ones at banks? It's good to be extra careful regardless.

When I clicked on the link to see what was posted there, I got a "Forbidden" error message which I actually found rather funny, given the topic.

[redbird]

They are sometimes found in banks as well—more often in separate ATM lobbies than inside where tellers are.

One trick the thieves use there is to read your card information from the magnetic strip reader that opens the door, and then hide a camera to get your PIN when you actually use the ATM. A workaround is to use any other card with a magnetic strip to open the door, if you have a credit card and a debit/ATM card, or two credit cards. (At that point the hypothetical criminal would be trying to use your ThisBank PIN with your OtherBank Visa card number, and wouldn't get into your account.)

[ron_newman]

How do they hack into the door's magstrip reader?

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

The skimmer is on the door reader rather than on the ATM itself.

[leafshimmer.livejournal.com]

So, if you google ATM skimmer, you get lots of images. This one has a graphic that shows one version of what they look like and how they work:

http://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/gulf-breeze/2015/03/10/atm-skimmer-located-gulf-breeze/24714483/

You can see other examples via google image.

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

Brian Krebs, a computer security researcher, pretty much knows more about skimmers than anybody (http://www.krebsonsecurity.com/category/all-about-skimmers/). His website/blog is worth a read.

Also, it would've been nice if Cambridge PD had named the convenience store in question, so customers would know whether they'd potentially had their card compromised.

[redbird]

Quite. The most convenient in-my-network ATM is at a 7-11 on Mass Ave in Cambridge. (My account is at a credit union in Washington.)

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

I personally am appalled at the fact that most US ATMs do not yet include shields over the keypads to preclude cameras from capturing PINs. (Although keypad overlays can be used to thwart the shields, too.)

[mamabunny72.livejournal.com]

Thank you for posting this. The link at the bottom of the OP didn't work for me. I got a "Forbidden" message.

Is this the page (http://www.londonderrynh.net/2011/07/fbi-warns-about-skimming-schemes/40008) where the graphic came from?

[siderea]

Looks like it is.