Going to the ATM should be a quick and routine gesture: insert the card, type the pin and raise the money. But a recent scheme is turning this simple task into a risk situation. Burlons are applying sweet and sticky substances to keyboards and machine grooves, creating a distraction that can lead to card retention and the observation of the code by third parties.
The trick of the sticky keyboard on the ATM
As the site specializing in Lifestyle, Leak, at first glance, seems only vandalism or lack of cleaning. The keys are glued, as if someone had spilled soda or syrup. Those who come across the situation tend to insist that the keyboard works or trying to clean the keys with a handkerchief. According to the same source, it is precisely at this moment that the burns take advantage of the distraction of the user.
While the customer is focused on the keyboard, the card can be retained on the machine and someone approaches with apparent goodwill to help. But the real goal is to observe the PIN or collect the card.
There are also reports of criminals who return minutes later to collect cards already retained or manipulate the previously adulterated terminal. Some even offer wipes or small objects to distract the victim, taking advantage of momentary confidence.
The effectiveness of this trick is linked to an instinctive reaction: when feeling something strange on the keyboard, the user’s attention focuses exclusively on the problem, leaving out the perception of what happens around. Many try to insert the PIN several times or give up the operation, leaving the card arrested.
Suspected cases began to emerge in social networking groups and local forums. Users reported machines with keys glued to different parts of the country. Although it is not always possible to prove that the substance was intentionally placed, repeated patterns indicate that these are not isolated accidents.
How to act
If you find a sticky keyboard or signs of strange substances, the recommendation is simple: do not use the machine. Looking for another ATM, preferably inside agencies or in places with greater movement.
If the card is retained, the bank’s emergency line should immediately contact and request the card lock. You should never accept help from strangers, even if they seem helpful, warns Leak.
According to the use of this method comes at a time when cloning device detection systems are more sophisticated. The sticky keyboard represents a cheap, quick and discreet way to create a vulnerable situation for the user, without leaving evident evidence.
Although most transactions remain safe, signals such as glued keys, dirty grooves or liquids on the keyboard should be viewed as a warning of possible tampering.
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