Nigh-undetectable ATM skimmer

[n2doc]

If the previous ATM skimmer posts didn't scare the pants off you, this one from San Fernando Valley, which Brian Krebs reports on, might. It has a near-undetectable pinhole camera for recording timestamped footage of your PIN entry, and apart from that indicator, the only way to spot it is to yank hard on the front of the ATM before you start using it.

A few tips about ATM skimmers and skimming scams. It’s difficult — once you’re aware of how sophisticated some of these skimmers can be — to avoid being paranoid around ATMs; friends and family often tease me for stopping to tug at ATMs that I pass on the street, even when I have no intention of withdrawing money from the machines.

Still, it’s good and healthy to be somewhat paranoid while at an ATM. Make sure nobody is “shoulder surfing” you to watch you enter your PIN. A simple precaution defeats shoulder surfing and many other types of video-based PIN stealing mechanism: Cover the PIN pad with your hand or another object when you enter your PIN.

http://boingboing.net/2012/04/24/nigh-undetectable-atm-skimmer.html

[Little Star]

1. I NEVER use any atm except the ones at a bank...

those convenience store atm's are not to be trusted, imho.

[Recursion]

2. And yet people will hand their credit card to a waiter who takes it into another room (nt)

[ronnie624]

3. What good is the pin without the card? n/t

[n2doc]

4. The faceplate includes a card reader n/t

[ronnie624]

5. And? n/t

[n2doc]

6. With the pin and magnetic strip info thieves can make an exact copy of your card

And use it anywhere.

[ronnie624]

7. Interesting.

I didn't realize they could manufacture a copy of one's card. I wonder how this is accomplished. It has been my understanding that most instances of credit and debit card theft were accomplished with the account number on the front of the card, which is why the number is no longer printed in relief, and the numbers are now encoded on retailers' journals.