This fraud-deterrence technology engineered into Diebold's Opteva ATMs is the most effective method to guard against card skimming, the act of retrieving consumers' account information from their ATM card magnetic strips via a fraudulent device illegally attached to an ATM. According to Celent (Boston, Mass.) research analyst Red Gillen, total skimming losses account for about $1.2 billion a year worldwide.

An element of Diebold's S.A.F.E. (Secure Anti-Fraud Enhanced) ATM, the detector features a highly sophisticated proprietary detection algorithm that allows the sensor to discriminate between different types of skimmers, environmental factors and cardholder activity and ultimately reduce false alarms. Ken Justice, Diebold vice president, global self-service marketing and management, explained that when a skimmer is attached to an ATM, the new detector sends out an alert, which financial institutions can direct to either the branch alarm system or to the ATM network monitoring system.

"Consequently, financial institutions can then follow a flexible, customizable action plan, which could take the form of a security inspection of the terminal, a police alert through a branch alarm system or monitoring center, or an out-of-service terminal," Justice said. "It's only one layer of many to deter ATM skimming attempts and numerous other frauds ranging from dispenser frauds to PIN spying"

The skimming detection technology, together with the card reader's outer design, confronts criminals with multiple defense mechanisms including an anti-skimming bezel with deterrence protrusion, lead-through indicator lights and jitter technology with speed control for card insertion and return.

"In tracking ATM fraud from the North American market to Europe, the Middle East and Africa and beyond, we're finding that criminals are becoming increasingly hesitant to even attempt to attach a skimming device to a Diebold Opteva ATM because they are privy to the fact that our technology will stop them in their tracks," Justice said.