Beware Russian ATM SCAM !!

[jumusman]

Just wanted to warn everyone about an ATM scam that my banks fraud department just advised me of. I have a U.S bank account but live here in Hua Hin now, I make weekly withdrawals from my checking account at various ATM's around the city.

I have 6 ATM withdrawals today from my checking account for $160.00 each made at a GAZPROMBANK bank in Russia. (And here am I thinking all the Russian mafia ATM scam stuff only happens in Pattaya!! Looks like they are spreading their wings a little) Fortunately my bank caught it knowing I am in Thailand and stopped any new activity on my card.

The last ATM I used was the Kasikorn one right outside the entrance to Villa Market grocery store 2 days ago and I have not used my card since then. I am usually very good with covering up when I enter my pin number so this might be the scam where they place a special keypad over the original one to catch the PIN that is entered.

I know any ATM can be compromised but I feel like from now on its probably best to use the ATM's that are right outside the banks on the 3rd floor of Market Village, they would seem to be the least vunerable. Anyone else have fraud issues ?

[uncle tom]

My cards have been cloned so often it's almost routine..

Whilst in the UK I get periodic text messages asking me if I'm in Malaysia, Cambodia or the PI - and every time I arrive in Thailand, my card gets refused at the airport ATM and I have to wait for the text message asking me to confirm I'm in Thailand (usually about 5 minutes)

When it first happened they rushed me out a new card, but now they don't bother. Sometimes a rogue ATM transaction goes through and they credit me back, but as far as I know, the crooks keep the cash and the bank takes a hit.

I've even been able to narrow down the source of one cloning scam to a specific ATM on the Sukhamvik Rd in Bangers, but Barclays did not seem interested.

The situation seems a bit surreal - and yes, I do take great care to conceal my PIN - I'm pretty sure some of these machines have been tampered with internally, so they pair up card numbers with PIN entries..

[charlesh]

There are also devices to detect those cards with RFID chips in them incl. exp dates . Sometimes a scrawled signature for those debit/credit cards will suffice for a 1 off scam.

[Crafack]

Always do a visual inspection of an ATM before using it:

Does the plastic/metal surrounding the card slot look genuine?
Do the PIN keyboard look genuine?
Is anything attatched to the ATM, with a view over the PIN keyboard ("lightening strips" etc.)?
Is the cash slot free of any wires etc. (google atm cash trap for inspiration)?
Is the ATM located in a "secure" area? (I would place more trust with an ATM located in front of a bank, than the one in the mom&pop store).

Re: RFID cloning. Get one of these: http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/8cdd/

(or use a piece of aluminium foil wrapped around the card(s)).

/Crafack
( Yes, I work in IT in a bank :-) )
Being paranoid doesn't mean they are not out to get you :-)

[jumusman]

Thank Crafack, that is good information. This is the first time this has happened to me, I really think it happened at the ATM outside of Villa Market but for sure I will be using only ATM's that are inside or outside of banks from now on, feel that they are safer and in a more secure area as you stated. Fortunately my bank will reimburse me for the fraudulent withdrawals.

[Spitfire]

I always use an ATM machine that is attached to a proper bank as the ones that just stand alone everywhere look way more vunerable and it has thus far worked in keep me OK.

[Bristolian]

May not be Russian scam but not sure where else to post it!

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakin ... 23979.html

Be careful guys it's not Hua Hin yet but the technology is available and could be used here.

New ATM card skimmer found in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai Tourist Police Friday warned the public that a new kind of ATM card skimmer had been installed on an ATM machine in the downtown market area to steal people's information and ultimately their cash.

Pol Captain Amorn Sopa revealed that a bank had alerted police after it found a small chip along with a camera had been attached to the card slot at one of its ATM machines. This chip, which allows criminals to steal information, was not very visible to the naked eye as it had been painted over to match the machine's body, he said.

As an earlier police stakeout was unsuccessful because nobody showed up to check on the machine, police have removed the skimmer and camera, and added the information to its database.

[PeteC]

I've always wondered if the boys who show up to service the machines and restock them with cash have something to do with these scams. They can tinker all they like for as long as they like and no one takes notice. If I were a scam boss, I would recruit them. I doubt that the bribes would be too much. Pete

[jumusman]

I've always wondered if the boys who show up to service the machines and restock them with cash have something to do with these scams. They can tinker all they like for as long as they like and no one takes notice. If I were a scam boss, I would recruit them. I doubt that the bribes would be too much. Pete

Good idea but I think once someone complained there might be allot to answer for. And everythings probably recorded via a camera. And also it's 4.45am did you just wake up ?

[PeteC]

Yeah, I had to go to the ATM.

[jumusman]

Yeah, I had to go to the ATM.

Don't use the one at Villa Market !!

[Gérard]

I stopped using credit cards 20 years ago and I am still alive...
One problem now is that paying cash has become suspicious in our developped countries, but in Thailand not at all.

[Pleng]

I stopped using credit cards 20 years ago and I am still alive...
One problem now is that paying cash has become suspicious in our developped countries, but in Thailand not at all.

I never figured out what advantage people seem to think they have by not using credit cards? I met one guy on a bus back in UK who told me he was scared of credit cards because of all the stories you hear of fraud, so every month he took a bus to his building society (didn't believe in banks) which was in a town pretty far away, and withdrew all the money he needed for the month.

Thing is, yes you hear about card scams all the time. But there's also a lot of protection and in most cases you get your money back. If you get robbed of your whole month's cash at knife/gun point(which I really feared might happen for this guy - considering within 5 minutes of meeting me he'd told me about his routine, I can only assume I'm not the only one he's told), there's no protection in place at all.

[jumusman]

I stopped using credit cards 20 years ago and I am still alive...
One problem now is that paying cash has become suspicious in our developped countries, but in Thailand not at all.

You may have stopped using credit cards but I am sure you have an ATM Card (Debit card) to take money out of the bank that has a Mastercard or Visa logo so you can also use it to book flights, hotels, car rentals, buy anything online, buy groceries etc. Otherwise that does not make a whole lot of sense.

[Gérard]

I stopped using credit cards 20 years ago and I am still alive...
One problem now is that paying cash has become suspicious in our developped countries, but in Thailand not at all.

You may have stopped using credit cards but I am sure you have an ATM Card (Debit card) to take money out of the bank that has a Mastercard or Visa logo so you can also use it to book flights, hotels, car rentals, buy anything online, buy groceries etc. Otherwise that does not make a whole lot of sense.

I never book flights, hotels, car rentals, buy anything online, buy groceries etc.
In Thailand, I pay everything in cash and have never had any problem.
In my country, it is much more difficult to live without cards...