Cash trapping attacks in Europe seem to have stabilised

 

The European Security Team (EAST) has just released its third Fraud Update for 2012.  Cash trapping incidents were reported by 15 of the 21 contributing countries, and such attacks seem to be stabilising or falling in most of them.  The most common method used by criminals continues to be a fork or claw  inserted into the cash dispense slot during a normal transaction.

In October 2011 and April 2012 EAST reported significant rises in cash trapping incidents, so this latest news is welcome.

ATM skimming attacks continue in all but 4 of the reporting countries, and the migration of fraud losses away from EMV liability shift areas continues.  For more information visit the EAST website.

Cash trapping continues in Europe, while skimming attacks decrease

The European ATM Security Team (EAST) has just published another Fraud Update (3/2011). According to this most of the reporting countries continue to see an increase in cash trapping incidents, a trend reported by EAST in its European ATM Crime Report covering the period January to June 2011, something that I covered in a related post last month, which also gives some background information on the crime.

Attacks are most prevalent against one type of ATM and upgrades to its cash dispenser are still being reported as 100% effective in preventing such attacks.  The upgrade is visible, however, and this has led to displacement with attacks shifting to ATMs that have not been upgraded.