The ATM strikes back
A recent survey by security vendor Actimize shows that almost 70 percent of financial institutions experienced an increase in ATM/debit card fraud claims in 2008 compared to 2007. Twenty-three percent of respondents say those claims jumped by 5 to 9 percent, while the rest noted growth of anywhere between 10 and 74 percent. These numbers are only expected to grow in 2009, as a result of the recession. How about a more aggressive stance to skimming?
Even ATM’s get enough at some moment. How can they take revenge on nasty skimmers? We can help them by arming them… with pepperspray or mace. This is what happened in South Africa. Next question; how can we train an ATM how to recognize a skimmer and distinguish skimmers from clients or maintenance staff? Ooops.
The technology uses cameras to detect people tampering with the card slots. Another machine then ejects pepper spray to stun the culprit while police response teams race to the scene. But the mechanism backfired in one incident last week when pepper spray was inadvertently inhaled by three technicians who required treatment from paramedics. Patrick Wadula, spokesman for the Absa bank, which is piloting the scheme, told the Mail & Guardian Online: “During a routine maintenance check at an Absa ATM in Fish Hoek, the pepper spray device was accidentally activated. “At the time there were no customers using the ATM. However, the spray spread into the shopping centre where the ATMs are situated.”
Believe us; there are much more intelligent (and more elegant) solutions to the skimming problem.
http://www.bankinfosecurity.com/articles.php?art_id=1523&opg=1
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8147315.stm
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-07-09-absas-atm-pepperspray-plan-backfires
