The European ATM Security Team (EAST) has just published its first European Fraud Update for 2012.
This is based on country crime updates given by representatives of 19 countries in the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), and 2 non-SEPA countries, at the 26th EAST meeting held in Frankfurt on 8th February 2012.
Skimming attacks at ATMs were reported by all but two of the countries, with seven countries reporting increases in such incidents, and four countries decreases. It has been reported that criminals are leaving devices in place for longer periods of time, in some cases as long as one week.
The trend of the majority of skimming related losses occurring outside of EMV* liability shift areas continues. From January 2011 to January 2012 such losses were reported in 50 countries outside of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and in 14 countries within SEPA. The USA remains the top location for such losses, followed by the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Russia. Regional card blocking (card issuers blocking domestic payment cards for usage outside of Europe) continues to be successful, with three countries reporting resultant falls in skimming incidents and related losses.
Cash trapping incidents were reported by seventeen countries, a significant increase since the last report, although this type of attack is now decreasing in some of them as counter-measures are rolled out.
The increase in the numbers of countries reporting this type of attack shows a continuance of the trend first reported in EAST's most recent European ATM Crime Report (covering January to June 2011)**.
Card trapping incidents were reported by four countries, one of them reporting the usage of razor edge spring traps. Two others reported loop traps, of which the most common variant is Lebanese loop.
Ram raids and ATM burglary were reported by seven countries. Lobby type ATMs located in convenience stores are being increasingly targeted. Explosive gas attacks were reported by four countries.