credit card fraud

I was thinking more along the lines that if you use a credit card and its info gets stolen, it may be easier to get the credit card company to cancel the illegal charges than if you use an ATM card and cash is stolen out of your bank account.

Michael, We used a debit card from our credit union and got the money back pretty quickly. I don't know if all banks/credit unions are as responsive. That said, keeping track of your money on line, if possible, and having a back up plan, is the way to go. Fortunately for us, the withdrawals happened after we got home and it didn't dampen our trip, just made me wiser for future travels.

So what is a skimmer and how does it work?

Skimmer: http://tinyurl.com/yhxgvsv

Some time back (before our June trip to Italy) someone posted a link to photos of different types of "skimmers" and how they work. Maybe someone can find that and re-post?

We had that happen to us a week after we returned from Italy in June. We got hit in Milan, fortunately the bank refunded all the money. When I spoke with someone in the fraud department they said that some of the "skimmers" that are used are very difficult to recognize and they don't leave them on the same ATM for very long. Best to check your bank accts on line often, carry 2 different cards in case one gets compromised. I think next time I will just cancel my card immediately when I get home since we didn't have a problem until after we got back.

I'm confused. The topic header says "Credit card fraud" but you're talking about an ATM machine. Did you use your credit card in the ATM machine, or was this just a typo? I'm thinking it might make a difference.

I don't think it matters what kind of card you use. If there is a Skimmer on an ATM machine your card # and pin are taken. New cards are made with that information and sold. Our withdrawals happened in Bulgaria.

It is best not to use an ATM on the street. Better to use one located inside the bank, especially in heavily touristed areas. Otherwise, find one that is off the beaten path, away from the major tourist spots.

Michael, that is the one. Everyone should look at those photos. We only used bank ATMs while we were in Italy. We saw a few with dip readers attached and avoided them. No way to tell if actually was a skimmer, but why take the chance? We would just move on to another bank ATM (without the external attachment) and use that.

I noticed every ATM we used this summer in Europe had a cartoon of a hand covering the keypad while you entered your pin number. I always think about someone looking over my shoulder but the skimmer would have been hard to notice if I hadn't seen this link.

Just so folks don't think it's "only Italy" My ATM card was "scanned" at an ATM in Knoxville TN! So be careful EVERYWHERE!

Tim, really - cut it out with the skimmers in Knoxville ;-)

ATM card skimming has become a problem in my state too and I've started making a habit of pulling on the card slot just to see if it jiggles. Does anyone know if that actually works? I use the same ATM all the time, but am really nervous about machines I have never used. I've also gotten in the habit of covering the keypad and looking for any hidden cameras.

I would reiterate Scott's advice. The best way to avoid skimmers, card and cash trappers, hidden cameras, and over-the-shoulder scams is to only use ATM's located inside banks.

About three weeks ago I withdrew $100 at two locations in St Petersburg, Russia with an ATM card. In retrospect one ATM likely had a skimmer on it as some members of our group were having problems with it. Over the past weekend that included a bank holiday, I had four withdrawals totalling over $3,000 withdrawn from my checking account. I thought that the daily maximum withdrawal amount was $250. My bank informed me that I could either choose $50 or $1,000! So I will have to put more precautions in place such as more bank accounts. I will carry more cash and only withdraw from an ATM machine that is next a bank - during banking hours. I will get the money back - in time!

Covering the keypad with your free hand while typing your PIN with your other hand will help prevent any camera/video device from recording your PIN number. Crooks often use a camera in tandem with a skimmer. There are lots of ways to do it, but the data can be sent via wireless transmission and duplicate cards with magnetic strips can be reproduced very quickly. The bad guys have all the equipment to do it. BTW, this happens in the U.S. and everywhere else, too...not just Europe. And, it has happened on ATMs inside bank lobbies. Just do your best to make sure the ATM is skimmer-free, and cover the keypad.

I work in IT and my colleagues have told me that a card reader can easily read the pin as well. I don't know of any banks in the USA that have ATMs inside of them. They are all on the outside. I'm opening another banking account that will only be for ATM transactions. My bank only allows ATM maximum daily withdrawals to be set at $50 or $1,000. I have found another bank that will allow me to set a lower daily maximum limit. In addition I want a bank that gives me better support during the weekend and bank holidays. I called my bank on Monday to tell them that my ATM card had been compromised. They were not very helpful as it was a bank holiday! They allowed another $500 to be withdrawn from Poland which put my account in a negative balance of over $400. Their excuse was that they were checking the balance on Friday evening. What a way to run a bank!! They have been very helpful but are a small regional bank with inadequate international presence.

I'm thinking of a large bank just down the street with an ATM right in the front lobby of their building...banks in the U.S. can have ATMs inside. I like Andrea's idea of pulling and jiggling the card slot if you can't determine if a skimmer is attached...they're not permanently affixed. A skimmer might be loose or might come off altogether.

I am certain that technology will be developed for more advanced fraud on ATMS that will demand greater security measures by banks. I was in an remote area without access to the Internet for several weeks so I have to develop methods to protect myself. In the short term I cannot even write checks or withdraw money as all activity takes place in my one checking account. So, in future, I will carry more cash on vacation, have multiple checking accounts and have one that has lower daily maximums that is only used for ATM withdrawals overseas.

It's best not to use an ATM located in a heavily touristed spot (especially one like the Spanish Steps) as fraudsters run amok in areas such as this. Find banks off the beaten path that have an ATM located inside and withdraw from there. I usually like to have a secondary account, with separate ATM card, containing the lion's share of my travel funds with a much smaller amount in my primary account. As my primary account runs low, I can go online (iPhone/iPad) and transfer funds as I need them and then withdraw from an ATM. That way, if my primary card is compromised, they won't get a lot from that account. Vacation saved!

As you all run around "cancelling" and panicing over European "skimmers"..

Your home bank is just as vulnerable. My mother's card got skimmed in Knoxville, TN!

Carol,
I think most of us know that ATM fraud also happens in the USA. The point of this discussion is how to protect yourself while traveling abroad. Taking care of a compromised bank acct is a bit easier when you're at home as opposed to half way around the world.

I had a negative balance of $500 on my bank statement. I still don't have the $3,000 back. I'm told I'll get it this week. It seems that my banks monitor credit cards more closely than ATM cards. If I had not noticed it, the scammer could also removed my salary from my checking acount that was posted later. I have overdraft protection, so the negative balances and checks I wrote bounced to the credit card. I had no cash and couldn't write checks. I've had to scrounge all week to ensure the fraud did not have further impact.

Now I have a separate checking account into which I can dump money as required. I'll decide how to deal with my multiple checking accounts - in time.

Yes...unfortunately skimmers can and do happen anywhere. We had our gas company credit card skimmed at a local gas station. The credit card company didn't do a good job of monitoring for fraud; they should have noticed two $100 transactions every day for 2 weeks. Who fills up their car twice a day every day for 2 weeks? Luckily my husband caught it & they reversed all the charges. I agree with trying to find an ATM machine inside a bank if possible...they're probably few & far between but worth looking for to avoid this kind of problem.

Thanks to all for posts. I did not know that there was something like an ATM skimmer! I'm considering having a checking account simply for ATM withdrawals - for both in the USA and overseas.

I'm sure that my Credit Card number was skimmed at a gas pump. This is why now I only pay cash inside at the gas station. I also always ask for receipts at the ATM machine. Once I asked for an odd amount of cash to be withdrawn and the machine had problems. I did not get the cash - until I protested at the bank.

If one cannot find an ATM machine in a bank, I will try to ensure that there is a video camera.

I finally got the $3,000 back ten days later. Now I have two checking accounts and will only use the one for withdrawals from ATMs. I can transfer money in and out of it as I choose. I'll drain it of nearly all money after a vacation. I've had to take the time and effort to become wiser about the banking industry. Apparently the cards used in the US are still old technology.