Very OT I know but I'm sure there's someone here who will know.
Namely, is this a pukka security device on this cash machine card slot or is it a bogus scanner?
Naturally I'd prefer responses from people who *know* rather than speculation (which I can do for myself). ;-)
Tim
It looks genuine, however I would probably have been suspicious as well.
I have a lot of material at work, and will dig it out and compare the scam equipment to your photograph next week. However, the signs to look out for are:
Anyone using the machine already, and the card not being accepted at all Banks either side of the machine have signs saying out of order, forcing users to use the scammed machine A car parked in the area, for some time, with occupants Try pulling the device, if its loose, its suspicious
I'll check my files and get back to you on this one.
The filing of the grey plastic bit looks very rough!
I could give you a definitive answer, but the image is so dark that no details are distinguishable.
I would ask a simple question.. have you ever seen a card slot sticking out like that before?
Have a look at this "brightened" image
I would ask another there are hundreds of makes of ATM's, just because this one sticks out does not make it fake, it fact it's a security device
Many thanks! I knew someone here would know what to search for. My concern was that given all the advice to avoid any machine with an unfamiliar device attached, it's kind of difficult to know when any unusual new device is legitimate or not.
Regarding the info on that site about card skimming, I can't for the life of me work out how these devices could possibly capture pin numbers as well (unless they can be read off of the magnetic strip).
Tim
PIN numbers (sic) are captured using an adjacent pinhole camera, usually.
Even without the PIN, a skim of the magstripe is usable in retail outlets in countries where chip'n'pin isn't in widespread use.
Some people deliberately erase the magstripe on their cards to prevent skimming. If you are never going to travel anywhere where the magstripe is likely to be used, that's probably not a bad idea.
No but it isn't normal in the UK.
So now he has seen one and so have I. I can't see how its going to function as a security device... it looks like a few seconds with a drill from underneath and you could insert a mag stripe reader into the bottom without anyone noticing.
How come there weren't any notices to say what it was?
but he was in Tenerife
I think thats why its see through
I must admit it was lucky I found it, I just Googled for ATM in "Google images"
So its best not to trust it, or he could have asked in the bank.
But that assumes you know its see through.
Its like all cash machines.. unless you are familiar with them you can't know its OK just from looking at it.
Thanks. My friendly expert in UK ATMs has never seen a device like that, despite having been involved with every brand of ATM installed in the UK in the last 20+ years.
But it doesn't look like a bogus add-on. If the OP saw several of these, it is very likely that they were pukka (so my friend says).
The PIN itself isn't stored on the magstripe, what is stored is the difference between your PIN and a centrally held "base" for your PIN, so knowing the difference by itself is no advantage.
Then why bother with your fatuous response? Other people seemed to manage okay.
Tim
Duh! I did mention it was a weekend.
Tim
In message , Kevin writes
for nicking one off a cash machine if I saw one. Probably for tampering with evidence I guess, although you'd probably get a kicking from the gang waiting nearby.
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