ATM, Debit, Credit card cloning: This man lost Rs 1.2 lakh! Do this and stay safe

Bank ATM fraud! Debit card cloning! Credit card crime! Nightmares are definitely made of this! Yes, hacking and cyber fraud have become rampant nowadays. You must have heard or read about people losing their hard-earned money to fraudsters every now and then. The incidents are more common in metro cities and they have spread to tier-I & II cities now. It is truly frightful when an innocent man loses his money. In the latest instance of a fresh case of financial fraud being unveiled, a Noida-based doctor has lost as much as Rs 1.20 lakh to the fraudsters in just minutes.

According to a Hindustan report, cyber thugs have siphoned off as much as Rs 1.2 lakh! What is most worrying is that it has not happened at one go, in fact, it happened in three consecutive transactions performed on January 26 without anyone knowing. The doctor, who works in Delhi's Tegh Bahadur Hospital, lives in Noida in a rented house. However, at the time of these credit card transactions, the ATM card of the victim was with him.

What is Credit, Debit Card Cloning and skimmers - what you should not do?
Credit card, debit card cloning at bank ATMs is a technique by which cyber thugs clone someones card.  For this, hackers use skimmers, which are the most widely used techniques in recent days. A skimmer is a device that thugs attach to an ATM or a payment machine to trick people who are swiping their credit cards or debit cards. The device attaches to (or over) the space where your card is normally inserted and reads the information — which thieves then can use to compromise your account. Often, if the target is a debit card, the skimming device is set up on the ATM, along with a nearby camera or person watches you enter your PIN. Also, sometimes thugs just call you and ask for the OTP number that may have come to your phone - this happens after they have already got some of your bank and personal details and they are trying to steal your money. So, make sure you never do these things to ensure your money stays safe.

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How to be safe?
It's not too tough to keep yourself safe from these hacking tricks. First and foremost, when you visit an ATM for cash withdrawal, you should perform some checks before conducting the transactions. 

1. You should check whether the keyboard looks bulged out 
2. Whether it been fixed over the original number pad. 
3. Give a gentle nudge to the card swapping slot. A duplicate swapping slot fixed over the original slot will pop out after a gentle nudge.  
4. Check for hidden cameras as they may be on the machine or in the vicinity recording your every move as you enter your PIN.
5. Last but not least, keep a regular check on your account statement and OTP SMS you receive from banks. Act fast if you find any irregularities related to transactions.