SBI, ICICI, PNB, HDFC, Axis, Kotak, PNB, other bank customers: Check clever ways thieves loot your ATM money

Are you a customer of SBI, PNB, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank or any other lender operating in the country? Beware of the sharp increase in the ATM-related frauds in cities. Reports say that gangs of criminals are tricking people through extremely innovative tricks to slyly steal money from debit and credit cards of bank customers. Not only the young generation, but people as old as 56 years old have been found be involved in such tricks.

Also as per recent media reports, among all other kinds of frauds, the ATM-related frauds are the highest, recorded at about 40 per cent in Delhi.

All the tricks thieves use

As per experts, tools usually resorted to by thieves include matchsticks, glue sticks, thermo cam, schemer, shoulder surfing (behind the back of the user's pin). Also, there are multiple kinds of card skimmers where the confidential details of the card are discreetly recorded. Post this, the information of the former is printed on a blank card via an advance printer. As a result, a fake card works just as well as an authentic card. Some cybercriminals make 'fake websites' of banks and send them to people in the name of updating their bank accounts. Through this, they can capture the information and passwords of your account.

Recent mishaps 

Lately, on December 5, 40 Punjab National Bank (PNB) customers suffered from an ATM fraud where they claimed that the money was drained out of their account after the Sheikh Sarai branch ATM declared the transaction "failed". It is believed that schemer trick was used in PNB ATM hack case in Delhi. It's being used in most of the ATM frauds today. In October, two frauds were arrested for stealing Rs. 1.6 crore. They used to work in a private firm which re-filled cash in the ATM machines. 

Precautionary measures to be adopted

- Cover your password with your hand.
-Visit familiar and crowded ATMs
-Make sure that the card slot is not tampered with.  
-The card slot's plate is not broken.
-check that there is no camera underneath. 
-The card swiping machine's keypad is not thick or embossed. 
- Do not share bank account number, card number, PIN, email ID and password, mobile number and user ID information on the phone.
-Do not take help from strangers
These are a few preventive measures which should be taken into consideration and make ATM transactions more secure.