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Elaborate Fake ATM Found in Beijing

by Terrence O'Brien on June 23, 2010 at 02:30 PM

Fake ATMUsers of an ATM outside a cigarette shop in Beijing were surprised to find that, shortly after dipping their bank cards into the kiosk, their accounts were emptied out. The ATM wasn't hacked, but rather completely fake. The full-sized device bore all the familiar trappings of an ATM, such as credit card logos and a cash slot, and was set up in an otherwise empty glass room in the corner of the building, complete with a fake security camera.

Even a moderately close inspection would have revealed excessive glue around the number pad, a receipt dispenser that was just a piece of metal glued to the front and a completely sealed cash dispersal slot. These clues would presumably tip off most that something was awry, but it appears that plenty of people inserted their cards, and walked away after the screen flashed an out-of-service message. What Beijing police have described as a "crudely made" forgery was recording unsuspecting victims' account numbers and other information, allowing the inventive thief to later the accounts. The Global Times also reports that fake ATM casings are available online for under $300, suggesting this won't be the last of these we see.

Police arrested a suspect identified as Huang, and have charged him with credit card fraud. Huang has confessed to the crime, but police are continuing to investigate how, exactly, he was able to (briefly) get away with the heist. [From: Global Times and China Hush, Thanks, Lonnie]

Tags: atm, atmhack, Beijing, crime, fake atm, FakeAtm, fraud, IdentityTheft, safety, security, top

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