Thieves are willing to go to any length to get their hands on debit card users’ accounts and the supply of money therein. Some of their tactics are relatively old (but still effective), while others incorporate newer technology to outsmart the banks and their suite of protection services.

Thieves target debit cards through wireless internet and encryption cracking devices

One of the more recent developments in debit card theft comes in the form of wireless internet, also known as Wi-Fi. Since many ATMs and cash machines electronically transmit information from debit card users via digital processes, thieves are able to wirelessly intercept debit card users’ account numbers and personal identification numbers. Unlike skimming devices, which can often leave clues as to their presence and alert the debit card user to take their business elsewhere, wireless intercepts are extremely difficult to detect and there is virtually no countermeasure that consumers can take against it. Instead, they should do most of their business at a bank ATM and inquire whether the bank has up-to-date encryption software. Otherwise, if a debit card user wishes to protect their debit accounts as much as possible, they should consider making withdrawals and deposits at the teller window or the drive-thru lanes.

Thieves target debit cards through fake machines

The idea of the fake machine is a debit card scam which found its legs through repeated use by the American mafia. It is perhaps the simplest and yet the most conniving debit card con on the planet. Rather than rely on intercepting account information at existing ATMs or cash machines, thieves may employ a fake machine, whose only purpose is to steal users’ account and PIN information. These fake machines are set up in high traffic areas, such as pubs, convenience stores and diners, where customers are likely to need cash in a fix. The user swipes their card and the machine requests their personal identification number. Upon typing in their PIN, the machine then displays an error message. From there, the machine may ask the user to swipe their card again. The user is left thinking that the machine is malfunctioning, and they move on to another machine which can dispense cash. The truth is that these machines hold zero cash and were never intended to be used as real ATMs. If a debit card user ever encounters a machine that gives them an error message after they have swiped their card and/or entered their PIN, they should immediately notify their bank that they suspect fraud has occurred on their account.

Thieves target debit cards through stolen ATMs and cash machines

Perhaps the crudest and most rudimentary form of debit card theft is the act of stealing the ATM or cash machine itself. Despite the bulk and weight of such machines, thieves have persisted in stealing these devices and attempting to crack them open for the cash deposits inside. There is a chance that if the thieves have installed a skimming device on the machine then they will have access to a copious amount of account information. When it comes to stealing a physical ATM or cash machine, there is little that a debit card user can do once they have already conducted their account business on a stolen machine. However, to prevent their cash deposits and/or account information from getting into thieves hands, debit card users are better off relying on the ATMs located inside the vestibules of their bank branch, employing the services of a teller at the teller window or utilising the drive-thru lanes outside the bank.