Education & Awareness is the best Fraud Prevention weapon

The European ATM Security Team (EAST) is constantly trying to help the industry to spread the fraud awareness message.  Best practice information and links to videos can be found on their Cardholder Security Tips page, and also on their Advice for Merchants page.  The clip below is an awareness message from Fiscal Bank in Australia, starring 'Fiscal the Ferret' and 'Bacchus the Bandit'.........

The European ATM Security Team creates new membership category

The European ATM Security Team (EAST) has created a new Associate Membership category.  Banks and other approved ATM stakeholders from any country can now apply to join EAST through this category.  For more information visit the Associate Membership page on the EAST website.  According to the related EAST press release:

"In 2011 EAST embarked on a long term strategic planning process designed to take the Group to the next stage of its development. Up to now the focus has been on strengthening our national membership. As many of the threats we are facing are global, and with European ATM related fraud losses now increasingly seen outside of Europe, EAST decided to open the new Associate Membership category globally. It is hoped that this will help to further improve flows of information into and out from the Group. In 2013 EAST is planning to hold its first annual conference, with an Agenda set by our national members.”

 

 

 

 

International ATM Security Training

Sharing ATM crime and fraud patterns across borders is key to helping prevent such crime.  Alerted to a particular issue, those countries that may not have yet experienced it can better prepare for its possible arrival.  One example of this was the way that the recent up-tick of cash trapping in Europe was tracked by the National Members of the European ATM Security Team (EAST). 

ATM fraud losses continue to migrate away from EMV liability shift areas

The European ATM Security Team (EAST) has just published a second Fraud Update for 2012.   This states that:
 "The continued migration of fraud losses away from EMV Chip liability shift areas continues.  From January 2012 to June 2012 such losses were reported in 46 countries and territories outside of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and in 11 countries within SEPA.  The USA remains the top location for such losses, followed by Peru, Mexico and Brazil."  Next on the list are Thailand and the Dominican Republic.  What does this mean? 

ATM cassette standardisation for Europe? The debate has started........

Since my first blog on this topic ATM Marketplace has published interviews that highlight each side of the argument. 

In the first interview EPC Chairman Gerard Hartsink talks about the benefits of standardization, and why there is no need for manufacturers and cash-in-transit companies to complain.

In the second interview Aleksandra Lubavs, director of EMEA marketing, communications and strategy for Diebold highlights the disadvantages and states that this is a short-sighted approach in terms of total cash optimization and elimination of cost within the retail banking self-service market.  The expectation is that adopting this approach would inevitably lead to hidden costs.  There are clear benefits for the CIT industry though.........and I wonder why Mr Hartsink thinks that they might want to complain?

I go with the second view and reiterate what I said in my first blog - any final decision on this in Europe needs to be taken by the ATM deployers and not by their suppliers!  I wonder if the position of the EPC accurately reflects the opinion of the majority of the European ATM deployers, and how far it has been swayed by the lobbying and opinions of some suppliers?

One size fits all? Should Europe adopt a single standard ATM cassette?

The European Payments Council (EPC) wants all ATMs in Europe, 398,040 as at the end of 2010 according to the European ATM Security Team, to use a standard cash cassette.  It is claimed that this will lead to substantial savings in the cost of cash, as well as to benefits when integrating Intelligent Banknote Neutralisation Systems (IBNS's), which are activated in the event of a robbery or theft to stain the banknotes with ink.

The EPC is committed to driving for an increase in electronic payments and states that the introduction of a standard ATM cash cassette would be for the medium term to ensure the efficient management of the SEPA ATM infrasructure.

Call for increased security at remote site ATMs.........

In the early hours of 11th March 2011 an ATM was stolen from a shopping complex located in Antrim, Northern Ireland.  The criminals prised open the doors of the Parkhall Shopping complex and removed the machine just after 2:00 am.  The amount of money lost in the ATM has not been disclosed.

According to the Northern Ireland Independent Trade Association this is the first major robbery of this type in nearly two years.  Chief Executive Glyn Roberts stated "......I would call upon every retailer who has an ATM machine in their premises to urgently review their security in the light of this robbery."

You can read more on the story on UTV News.

Blog comment:  Following on from that comment, what could the options be?  Assuming that this ATM was a 'merchant fill' machine (i.e. the retailer directly replenishes the cash), the risk is with the retailer. 

Why ATM anchorage matters....

Watch the video below to see a bungled ATM attack in the UK (courtesy of Greater Manchester Police and the Telegraph Online) - not only did the bad guys fail, they were subsequently arrested and imprisoned.  It looks as if the ATM may not have been pulled completely out of its anchorage.  A properly anchored ATM will withstand repeated brute force or pull-out attacks.  One provider of proven plinths is Acketts Group.  Visit their website to see a promotional video of a properly installed ATM resisting a sustained brute force attack for nearly 10 minutes..............

European ATM Security Team (EAST)

The European ATM Security Team (EAST) is a trans-national grouping of professionals engaged in preventing and reporting crime at ATMs and other self service and payment terminals.  You can find details of EAST at http://www.european-atm-security.eu/.  EAST runs regular online research and by visiting their website you can participate in the current poll, as well as accessing the results of previous polls.

On their Home Page you can get the latest news relating to ATM crime in Europe, as well as details of the latest European ATM Crime Reports and Fraud Updates.