Worrying news from the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s tourist nightlife area: Police arrested three men who they believe were responsible for installing a hacking device inside an ATM machine on Jalan Changkat Bukit Bintang. The trio were taken into custody Sunday night.
Today, Dang Wangi Police released a statement saying that the men were aged 30, 33, and 48 – and were picked up at the only ATM that comes to mind in the immediate area – inside a convenience store.
Officers were alerted to the fact that something was awry, and went to the convenience store Sunday, at 9:30pm to investigate the matter further. Inside, they found a machine that looked altered, with objects found on the ATM’s keypad, and in the area where you enter your bank card.
Placed over the card slot was a skimmer, and above the keypad was a small video recorder.
Skimming can be likened to identity theft, but for your bank cards: Your information is copied onto a reader, and the camera above records your PIN. Having both of those pieces of information, thieves can then access the funds in your account, using the copied card, and real PIN. Sometimes, fake keypads are used instead of cameras to record your PIN.
Want to stay safe? Examine your ATM – even if it’s from your bank, and not a stand-alone unit. Does it look suspicious? Be wary of ATMs in places like gas stations. If you think that the card input area looks to be in a different style than the machine, or a different color, it could be hacked.
Always cover the keypad when you’re entering your PIN – remember that the thieves need both to access your accounts, so cover the keypad with your hand.
Make sure to check your bank statements, and credit card statements, often – your bank or card company will not charge you if your report the suspicious activity in time. This window is much shorter for debit cards – usually less than two days.
Finally, be picky with the machines you use. While some may be convenient, they’re also in areas that are less monitored for dodgy tactics.
Stay safe folks!
