cash machine fraud is on the rise

<p>Cash machine fraud is unfortunately increasing steadily day by day and shows no sign of slowing down. The number of actual attempts to steal bank cards at cash machines has trebled in the past year. This disturbing statistic is demonstrated by the fact that 7,525 incidents have been reported in the first four months of the year, compared with 2,553 in the similar period in 2012. The main cause of this is ‘shoulder surfing’ which is a type of fraud whereby the thief peers over the cardholders shoulder as they enter their PIN number and subsequently steals the card itself. The technologically advanced world in which we live in today has allowed some fraudsters to use this to their advantage. There is a growing use of secret miniature camera devices located above the keypad which records PIN numbers, thereby giving fraudsters the perfect opportunity to target their victims.</p> <p>It is important to be made aware of the steps people can take to minimise any risk of being a victim of card machine fraud. Some obvious points would be to always shield the keypad to avoid anyone seeing your PIN. This vitally protects your PIN from anyone who might be looking over your shoulder. Secondly, always be aware of your surroundings and never allow yourself to be distracted by strangers offering assistance. Moreover, if your instincts tell you that someone is watching you, cancel the transaction and go to another machine. With more and more incidents being reported each day, following these simple steps will minimise your chances of being an unfortunate victim.</p> <p>By Aran Walia</p>