In a two-minute online video, Tony Blake from the Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU) shows you how fraudsters can tamper with a cashpoint and what to do if you fall victim.
The unit, of City of London and the Metropolitan Police officers and industry fraud investigators, warns that cashpoint cons can be impossible to spot until you have become a victim.
Tony Blake says: “If your card does become trapped, assume that it is the work of criminals. Cashpoints very rarely malfunction. It’s more likely that a trapping device has been attached to the card slot, which uses a razor blade or similar to stop your card from coming out again.”
“Once they know your Pin – obtained via a secret camera or person spying nearby – they can spend on your card. If you have a high bank balance this can be highly lucrative, the criminal will simply go to the shops and buy 15 iPads, or whatever they want, and your money will very quickly be gone.”
Cash point fraud tips
Always look closely at the card insertion point of a cash machine before using it. If it looks like it may have been tampered with, do not use it.
If you realise the machine has been tampered with after you have inserted your card, call your bank while still standing at the cash machine if it is safe to do so.
Always shield your hand when entering your PIN into a cash point keypad.
Toview the video, visit the Action Fraud website: http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/news/video-shows-you-how-to-spot-an-atm-tampered-with-by-a-fraudster-may15
Meanwhile the Sussex force has created a new fraud awareness film.
The new film is being delivered to a variety of audiences, focusing on banks and community groups with the purpose of raising awareness about the issue and encouraging them to work with the force to help prevent the vulnerable from becoming victims. Awareness sessions have been taken to banks including Santander, Barclays and NatWest across the county to speak to them about how they can stop customers becoming victims and be vigilant about fraud cases. Supporting products include stickers, leaflets and posters which will be distributed around the county.
Bernadette Lawrie, Financial Abuse Safeguarding Officer who helped produce the film, said: “The new film encompasses all different fraud types affecting the vulnerable and elderly. It can be used to present the subject of these kinds of frauds to a variety of audiences and enable us to get across the impact of scams and frauds on vulnerable victims as well as providing advice and guidance around protective measures. We have already done lots of work with Trading Standards focusing on scam mail. Operation Signature now looks at all vulnerable victims of fraud.”
The film features Dennis, aged 87 from Worthing, who was conned out of around £1000 by scammers who contacted him pretending to be his bank as well as the police.
Courier fraud, where fraudsters call and trick people into handing over cards, cash and PIN numbers to a courier on your doorstep, by pretending to be the police or banks has risen over the last year. This year there have been 960 reports of this type of crime in Sussex, most have been unsuccessful but on 71 occasions money was lost by victims totalling £526,682.
Detective Inspector Gill Sole added: “There has been some fantastic work done in educating the public as to how to avoid becoming a victim of these despicable criminals. The public are recognising the scams and this is reflected in a drop in the number of victims. I would urge everyone to continue to spread the word, speak to your relatives and friends about this, and stop these criminals. Trust no-one who cold calls you about your bank account or a problem with your computer. Under no circumstances would the bank or police request a card PIN or security details over the telephone or arrange collection of bank cards from a home address. If you are suspicious contact the police on a different phone line if you have received a call you don’t trust or weren’t expecting. Don’t be afraid to say no and put the phone down, and tell someone about it if you have any doubt at all.”
Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner, Katy Bourne said: “As PCC and the daughter of an elderly mother, I feel it is vital that we listen, help and act on the concerns of our older citizens. That is why I have set up the Sussex Elders’ Commission. Nuisance calls and scams are one of the priority areas that members have identified. At their recent workshop PC Lawrie gave a talk on the subject and showed the scamming video. This was really well received by the commission members and will help inform their conversations in their local communities.”
If you, or someone you know, is being targeted by fraud/scams please contact Sussex Police on 101 or www.sussex.police.uk. If you have been a victim of crime, you can report this to Action Fraud, the national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre on 0300 123 2040.
To watch the video follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZDpw_IDSps&feature=youtu.be
