The new technical standard of ATMs and cards makes the “business model” of data thieves almost impossible. Nevertheless, the number of – mostly unsuccessful – attempts to manipulate ATMs is increasing this year.
Data thieves have struck significantly more frequently at ATMs in Germany this year. However, the criminals were only able to turn spied card data and secret numbers from bank customers into money in 102 cases, according to the statistics of the Frankfurt institution Euro Kartensysteme. The gross damage caused by such “skimming” cases fell by 70 percent year-on-year to a record low of 99,000 euros.
“The skimming business model has now finally become obsolete for fraudsters due to the global implementation of secure EMV chip technology on cards and terminals,” Euro Kartensysteme summarized. With EMV technology, the authenticity of payment cards is checked each time they are used using a built-in mini-computer.
Duplicates based on card data stolen in Germany can therefore only be used in a few countries worldwide. Nevertheless, criminals have manipulated ATMs in Germany 222 times in the current year in order to spy on bank customers. In order to get data illegally, the perpetrators manipulate the card slot or the keypad on the ATM, for example. In the first eleven months of 2021, 116 “skimming” cases were counted, for the whole of 2021 there were 136. Individual machines may have been manipulated several times.
Consumers who have become victims of “skimming” usually do not have to fear any financial disadvantage. As a rule, financial institutions in Germany compensate for such damage – provided customers have handled the card and PIN carefully.
