Avoid bank card skimming

[rpm]

Avoid bank card skimming: Standard Bank

Customers must be careful when using their bank cards to prevent being defrauded by "skimmers", Standard Bank warned on Thursday.

[3p1c]

Can they skim debit cards?

[Jola]

My sister has just had her credit card skimmed, R1000 * 4 stolen - she doesn't use the card for ATM withdrawals, so the card must have been skimmed in one of the major stores like Woolies or P&P - although she says that the card was never out of her sight. It was with SBSA, and I believe that it has been reported that they have not fully implemented the Chip & Pin security (this was a Chip & Pin card).

So, if the bank had properly implemented their systems, this would not have been possible, as it is supposedly not possible to duplicate a Chip & Pin card?

Looks as if it is no longer safe to use cards!

[psichron]

Yes, any card with a magstrip. It is very easy.

[Madman88]

My sister just had her credit card skimmed, R1000 * 4 stolen - she doesn't use the card for ATM withdrawals, so the card must have been skimmed in one of the major stores like Woolies or P&P - although she says that the card was never out of her sight. It was with SBSA, and I believe that it has been reported that they have not fully implemented the Chip & Pin security (this was a Chip & Pin card).

Looks as if it is no longer safe to use cards!

The chip and Pin system is just there to put the responsibility onto the consumer. If the card was swiped and no pin was used the vendor is responsible, if the pin was used then the consumer is responsible.

[psichron]

Ok, to clear some things up, there are two kinds of transactions: Online and Offline.
"Online" transaction = you have to enter your pin.
"Offline" transaction = you just sign a slip, no entering pin.

You have no protection against fraudulent "online" transactions.
You have full protection against fraudulent "offline" transactions.

If a thief somehow skims your card and gets your pin, they can withdraw money from an ATM with a cloned card (online transaction). You are screwed.
If a thief somehow just skims your card, they can try to make an offline transaction, either on the internet or in a store.
You can then immediately cancel your card and claim that money back from the merchant and you WILL be refunded.

Chip'n'pin is still a little weird. There are attacks available against these cards but they are a little more sophisticated and the scammers don't know about them yet.
For now, a chip'n'pin card WITH magstrip is LESS SECURE than one with only one of those because you usually have to enter your pin as well as swipe the card at a point of sale.
Thus it is very easy to skim your details even at PoS, whereas it is impossible to steal your pin if you only sign a slip.

[3p1c]

Thanx

[CyCliC]

My friend works at a small clothing shop. He was approached by 2 guys and a girl. They told him that they wanted to go into partnership with him. All they needed was the card number that he would find on the signed receipt (not sure what its called) after payment as well as the pin which he would look for when the customer keyed it into the keypad. He would then sms both to the guys and they would then make the card, withdraw the money and then cut him in. So be warned. Hide your pin at all costs. These guys are recruiting and paying good money to anyone who joins them.

[Jola]

So, my credit card will be more secure if I pull the magstrip off ?

Will it still work as a credit card - not worried about ATM use, better if that doesn't work ?

[g-star]

Happened to me, luckily I'm a student with not a lot of money in my account. Seems to happen with Standard bank the most. What happens is they put a card reader similar to the one used at the Standard Bank ATM's on top of the original card reader like this:

Then they hide a Camera on top of they keypad. I've seen pictures of this. The camera is a tiny one. They stick it onto a silver board that THEY PUT ON the ATM that has the VISA/Mastercard logos, so nothing really looks suspicious. That camera is powered by cellphone batteries behind the logo plate.
They read your card and got your PIN via video. They use easily available card copiers to make a fake card and use it at an ATM to withdraw your money..
Saw my statement, went to my branch. Got a refund and a new card. BTW this was a cheque card with a chip on it.

[aapkop]

You can swipe your card yourself, the card never leaves your hand.

[Falcon 6]

Debit Cards are most frequently skimmed these days. Cards that have Magstripes, the black strip on the back are being targeted for skimming. Whilst CHIP Cards are more secure , the industry is forced to create cards with CHIPS and Magstripes as not all retail merchants or ATM's can read a CHIP currently. Once all devices are capable of reading a CHIP , we remain exposed, but this may be short lived , fraudsters may find ways of 'cracking the CHIP' , they haven't as yet. Best advise, keep your card close, be vigilant , rather migrate all your accounts onto a CHIP card , if you have one with your Bank.

[Bosvark@]

I am rather nervous of this - I keep an eye on my card at all times (although not always possible all the time)

[Jola]

So the card will still work with most vendors if I pull the magstrip off? I don't need to use it in an ATM!

[backlash]

Chip'n'pin is still a little weird. There are attacks available against these cards but they are a little more sophisticated and the scammers don't know about them yet.

That is a incredibly naive statement to make. How can you even know that? Also, a Google search will give well documented academic papers on the attacks on Chip and PIN.

But so far they can't clone the chip part of the card, only the magnetic strip.