AUTHORITIES have warned the public anew to watch out for fraudsters and scammers using either crude or modern techniques to steal money from people withdrawing cash from their automated teller machine or ATM accounts.

Philippine National Police spokesperson, Colonel Jean S. Fajardo, said illegal techniques like illegally “putting glue” on the ATM machine to deliberately capture an ATM card is actually an old modus operandi which has surfaced again lately.

The official said that the scheme was brought up during the recent Joint Anti-Bank Robbery Action Committee or JABRAC meeting at Camp Crame. The matter was discussed prompting the PNP Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies headed by Colonel Marlou Roy V. Alzate to warn the citizenry to maintain their vigilance on such illegal activity.

Alzate also asked private security companies to keep their guards aware of the situation and to be on the lookout for possible incidents taking place in ATM machines installed outside the banks they are guarding.

“This is not the first time we have heard of this scheme. It actually involves group of persons, not only limited to female perpetrators, and we all should remain vigilant. To those withdrawing money from their ATM accounts, be sure that the machines are placed in well-lit areas and please don’t share your ATM details to strangers,” Fajardo said.

She also called on ATM holders to regularly check the surroundings for suspicious-looking persons and the ATM machine itself before making a withdrawal.

“If you see something strange blocking the money dispenser, be suspicious and in case of doubts, don’t proceed with the transaction and instead call the bank hotline to report the matter,” Fajardo said.

The JABRAC through the years has strengthened its focus in locating ATM fraud syndicates who are responsible for putting skimming devices in ATM machines.

In past cases, these skimming devices were secretly placed in the ATM’s pin pad by rogue European nationals who were eventually arrested, jailed and charged by the police.

Officials said fraudsters and scammers have also become more creative and sophisticated in their attempts to gain access to an ATM card holder’s personal information and financial accounts.

These tactics include illegal installation of malicious hardware such as scanner, camera or keypad overlay or software in ATMs. The scanner copies information on the debit, credit or ATM card, while the camera captures one’s personal identification number or PIN.

Once copied, hackers create counterfeit cards and gain access to accounts by many people.

Thus, ATM card holders are always reminded to look out for unusual features or loose parts of an ATM machine and to cover the keypad when entering their PIN.

Another safeguard is to use ATMs in well-lit and guarded areas and most importantly, do not let other people use your card or stand close by when you make transactions.

These reminders have been repeated again and again in the wake of the presence of some criminals who gently offer to help a bewildered ATM card holder once his card got stuck in the machine not knowing that the stranger put a glue on the machine.

The suspect will also usually ask the user to key in their PIN, memorizing the numbers even as the card remains stuck and then, acting just like a Big Brother or Sister, advises the ATM card holder to just go to the bank to file a complaint.

Once the victim leaves the area, the con artist will then easily retrieve the stuck ATM card and then withdraw money from a different ATM since he already had memorized its PIN.

There were also previous cases in which con artists have posed as bank employees caring enough to assist senior citizens making ATM deposits. However, using the sleight of hand, they will “switch” the deposit envelope with a similar envelope before fleeing.