ATM Theft Sprees Net Crooks Almost $2M
New Yorkers are once again the victims of an ATM-rigging spree that managed to steal more than $500,000 from hundreds of Staten Island residents. According to the Daily News, the thieves attached skimmers on card slots in ATMs at Sovereign Bank branches in the New York City borough. In addition to the scanned data, the criminals hid tiny cameras in the lighted ATM signs and used the cameras to record victims punching in their pin numbers.
Police told the Daily News that the thieves used the stolen data to create fake ATM cards that were electronically identical to customer cards; they then used these at different banks around town.
Meanwhile, four Romanian nationals were charged with skimming $1.4M from ATMs in upstate New York, we learned from the Syracuse Post-Standard..
Placing skimmers and videotaping customers is old sauce when it comes to cyber crime, but it works. Thankfully, you can protect yourself if you pay attention. Skimmers, while disguised to look like a normal part of the ATM, are made to be quickly installed and quickly removed. A man recently found (and photographed) one of these devices in the wild and was able to pop off the skimmer slot easily. He had noticed that something looked a little "off" about the machine, since the card slot didn't seem to be completely attached. Other signs could be a pamphlet holder that isn't on any of the other machines, or a mirror cam that sticks out more than usual.
So, who's at risk? For this most recent incident, anyone who used an ATM at a Sovereign Bank on Staten Island recently, but just last month, ATM skimmer incidents were discovered at Washington Mutual and Chase banks across the country, so pretty much anyone who uses a ATM regularly should be on the lookout before they stick their card in a machine. Also, it's safer to use the older ATMs that pull your card all the way in, rather than ones that you just stick in for a quick swipe.
In other words, when it comes to ATM skimmers, a little paranoia can pay off. If something looks suspicious at your ATM, it's probably not the best idea to swipe your card. [From: The Daily News, via Fox News and Syracuse Post-Standard, via The Consumerist]
Weirdest Techie Heists and Scams
Elderly Amish Man Caught on Film With Prostitute, Blackmailed
When a 75-year-old Amish widower slept with a prostitute, he -- we feel certain -- felt pretty bad about it the next morning. As if that guilt weren't enough for the old man, the prostitute and her boyfriend demanded $67,000 from him, claiming that they had filmed the scene with wall-mounted cameras and would upload the recording to the Internet. The pair was later arrested and, we can only imagine, the Amish man abhorred technology more than ever.
Bank Robber Gets Away With the Help of Craiglist
In October, a bank robber -- wearing a safety vest, blue shirt, face mask and goggles -- eluded police with the help of Craiglist. Just outside the bank, while the robbery was in progress, stood a group of men who were responding to a Craiglist day labor opportunity. As the advertisement required, they were all wearing safety vests, blue shirts, face masks and goggles.
Nude New Zealander Arrested After Responding to Fake Sexy Text Message
Late in 2007, a Wellington, New Zealand man received a racy text message from two anonymous "ladies," giving him only an address and a request that he show up naked. Well, he indeed showed up naked... at the home of one appalled, unsuspecting New Zealander. Both the nude Romeo and the sadistic texter were arrested, though neither were prosecuted.
Fake Craiglist Ad Costs Man Most of What He Owns
Last Spring, a post appeared on an Oregon Craigslist board stating that the owner of a specific house was leaving all of his worldly possessions (still in said house) to whoever wanted them. When homeowner Robert Salisbury rushed home -- on a tip from a woman suspicious about the offer of a free horse -- he found his house being ransacked by 30 strangers. We suggest he take that horse and collect some vengeance Clint Eastwood-style.
17-Year-Old Jailed for Stealing Virtual 'Furniture'
When a 17-year-old Dutch boy hacked into several accounts on the Second Life-style site 'Habbo' in 2007, the the law got involved. The boy was discovered to have stolen $5,800 worth of virtual furniture and knick-knacks. Apparently, crime -- whether actual or virtual -- does not pay.
Phishers Going After Your Phones in New 'Vishing' Trend
Over the past year, sneaky spammers have begun to forsake the worn-out territory of e-mail in favor of cell phones' fertile frontier. The result? "Vishing." Get it? Voice mail + phishing. It might be more ominous if it didn't sound like a James Bond villain saying, "Wishing."
Burglars Break Into Restaurant, Steal HDTV, Leave Money / Food Behind
Around Halloween of last year, a truckload of thieves drove into -- that's right, into -- a Pennsylvania Mexican restaurant, where they -- apparently uninterested in the cash register -- stole a mid-grade 47-inch HDTV and fled the scene. We've all heard about how this generation is lacking in ambition, but this generation's thieves, too?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
kenny said 10:14PM on 5-12-2009
It probably took the crooks $1.4 million to set up their racket.
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Hi Larry said 11:10PM on 5-12-2009
"PIN numbers", does this site have editors at all.
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mike said 11:24PM on 5-12-2009
You know... their BOWLING SCORES!
ZombieCookie said 4:26PM on 5-14-2009
That is just way to funny! Just like when people say ATM machine! HAHA
fston2wheels said 4:30PM on 5-14-2009
I've heard people say "for your FYI"
which is astonishly stupid because that means "for your, for your information"
for anyone who didn't catch that! lol
Bill said 3:01PM on 5-15-2009
I frequently hear the redundancy "7:00 AM in the morning," or similar phrase, even during newscasts.
Karine Aguilar said 1:14AM on 5-13-2009
LOL Sounds just like our government ripping us off to bail the banks out .. I admire these thieves - no one got shot and its the banks responsibility to pay the customers back ! I call it Karma !
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mage0213 said 9:42PM on 5-13-2009
Actually, while it may be the banks responsibility to pay the money back to the account holders it is also a time consumiong venture proving that you didn't use yoiur card there.. so unless you have a spy satellite tracking your every move you can still end up losing all that money :( Sad but true.. the banks STILL get over a great portion of time.. similar in fact to PROVING identity theft
Virginia said 9:58AM on 5-14-2009
Funny...kinda Pathetic but TRUE karama is a biotch
gloriamichaelc said 3:39AM on 5-13-2009
some big time banks are going under..how do I know they were not involded?
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Andi said 5:31AM on 5-13-2009
Right...what happened to the cameras inside of the ATMs to record faces?
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halbanks2 said 8:47PM on 5-13-2009
Ever heard of disguises, ski masks and hoodies?
BudMax77 said 8:26PM on 5-13-2009
"Hello, Mrs. Sutton! Can Willie come out to play?"
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JohnO said 9:23PM on 5-13-2009
The rewards are great, the punishment mild so Identity theft and embezzeling scams proliferates and goes on and on. What is needed is to strengthen the penalties so that the price you have to pay, for the crime, is higher than the benefits you stand to gain.
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mage0213 said 10:01PM on 5-13-2009
I agree in making the penalties a lot more severe, BUT the only TRUE way to stop this behavior is to start chopping fingers and hands off.. and then denying the perp disabity benefits since the disability was in effect SELF-INFLICTED disability.. if they hadn't broken the law then they wouldn't have lost any fingers or hands.. an eye for an eye type thinking neeeds to be implemented.. same thing with the criminals as a whole.. if you break into my house and you get hurt you should NOT be able to sue me for your own actions.. IF mty DOG chews you up but lets you live the law should NOT require MY DOG be euthenized for doing its job. IF You break into my house and enter a room that you can't get out of and you sit there overnight, over the weekend or for a week or more you should NOT be permitted to sue me the homeowner for injuring your pride.. the fact that you are a crook in its own right precludes any possibility of personal pride. Todays legal system is geared towards the criminals.. NT towards the Honest hardworking people. I am lucky to eat 3 meals a day yet the prisons feed the inmates 3 times a day, cable tv, pool tables and all the LUXURIES that many like me just dream about. If I go into McDonalds and buy a HOT COFFEE DUHH if I cause it to spill on myself I should NOT be permitted to Sue McDonalds for my own actions..If I eat at McDonalds and now I am overweight.. is that McDonalds fault?? Not only NO but HELL NO. too many people are sue crazy.. If someone is seriously HURT at work- not once, but twice within a 12 month period through no fault of their own and decide that they want to quit for their own safety and sanity shoiuld they be denied UC benefits?? I say NO and I say anyone whio has applied for THEIR UC benefits should be retroactively paid thos funds.. Corporate america is killing this country.. starting with the BIG OIL companies (and OPEC)
John said 10:53PM on 5-17-2009
Why is it necessary to mention the nationality of the people caught?
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jerixxo said 9:56PM on 5-13-2009
OK, so they get your pin number...how do they get your card number? Just thinking
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diamondxdust said 1:47PM on 5-14-2009
im sure it shows their card number in the camera or something.
handygal11 said 3:06PM on 5-15-2009
Card reader attached to the ATM slot reads and saves the magnetic tape info.. It's a two step scam. Scan the card and read the pin via a camera. That tape on the back of your card holds all the info the ATM is looking for. Just the number off the front won't make a card that thieves can use. Cover your hand when you type in your pin.
John said 10:32PM on 5-13-2009
The solution, Mage0213, is that if a criminal is in your home in one of those situations you simply make him disappear. 3 S method, shoot, shovel, shut up. Frontier style baby, you threaten my home and I end you.
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