Raising money on the ATM is a banal gesture that we repeat daily, but beware: there is a new fraud to worry authorities and users, with increasingly discreet and difficult to detect attacks.
In recent months, there has been a worrying increase in the number of automatic boxes related to automatic boxes, a phenomenon that seemed controlled, but that has returned to signs of growth. This new wave of fraud has surprised users and financial institutions for their sophistication and subtlety.
According to a recent report by the company FI, expert in financial analysis, the number of bank cards committed through fraud schemes increased significantly by 2023 in the United States, reaching a 96% growth compared to the previous year. There were more than 315,000 cards affected only by schemes known as skimming, a practice that also begins to worry the authorities in Europe, including Portugal.
According to the same report, cited by the Executive Digest website, this fraud is made by installing small hidden devices on automatic box readers, capable of copying essential data such as card number, safety codes and users PIN.
How does this scheme exactly work?
Criminals mainly use three main techniques: they install readers devices to copy the magnetic band of the cards, put hidden cameras next to the keyboard to record the typed pin codes, or overlap false keyboards to directly capture the digits introduced by users.
This method allows criminals to access victims’ accounts and make fraudulent surveys, make unauthorized online shopping, or even open new bank accounts with the stolen data.
A phenomenon that has not disappeared
Despite the technological advances of recent years, such as Chip cards or contactless payments, multibanco -related fraud remains a difficult problem to combat. In 2023, according to Fico data, more than 3,500 financial institutions were victims of these schemes, a number that makes clear the severity of the problem.
Although these data are mainly about the US, Portuguese authorities have also been detecting new isolated cases of fraud, especially in independent automatic boxes, outside the most controlled networks like the ATM.
Portugal is prepared, but the danger is real
According to SIBS, the entity responsible for the Multibanco network, automatic boxes in Portugal have been equipped with advanced anti-skimming technology since 2011, significantly reducing the number of cases. However, independent machines installed in less watched places remain a weak point explored by criminals.
According to the same source, recently cited, the overwhelming majority of the few recorded cases occurs precisely in these less controlled terminals, such as Euronet machines or other independent operators.
New techniques: Shimming and Overlayless
Although classic skimming is declining, new techniques are emerging and gaining ground. One is Shimming, a more sophisticated fraud that uses an ultra -thin blade placed inside the ATM card reader, capable of capturing data from the EMV chip. Another is overlayless, in which highly discreet hidden cameras filming the introduction of PIN and use artificial intelligence to identify typed numbers.
These new approaches, much harder to detect, now represent the biggest challenge for European authorities, including the Portuguese, who are already adapting to this new reality.
New European measures already in progress
To respond to this growth in fraud, the already approved new rules through the Payment Services Regulation (PSR), which come into force in 2026, forcing banks to share real -time fraud data with the authorities and reinforcing the transparency of automatic box operations.
These measures aim precisely to combat the rapid evolution of fraudulent techniques and allow a faster response from financial and police authorities.
Essential advice to avoid falling into this scheme
In order not to be a victim of these new fraud, experts recommend some simple procedures that make all the difference. You should always carefully check the ATM terminal before using your card, looking for suspicious devices or overlapping keyboards.
Another advice is always to cover the keyboard by hand when entering the pin, a simple but effective measure against hidden cameras. Whenever possible, you prefer to use automatic boxes installed within banks or busy public places, and avoid machines in isolated areas or less known operators.
With these precautions and more attention when using the ATM, it is possible to significantly reduce the risk of being a victim of these increasingly sophisticated new fraud.
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