[LINK] ATM skimmers go wifi

[Geoffrey Ramadan]

We were actually contacted by a local "crook" about mid last year, who 
wanted us to design what was in effect a keyboard and magnetic card 
reader skimmer. The captured data was to be sent via SMS.

Though he tried to hide its purpose, it was not too hard to figure out 
what it was doing (i.e. skimming PIN and MCR data from ATMs)

Between the Police and us, we were unable to "locate" this person. 
However, I was told not so long ago by the Police that they had caught 
him. He was a ATM technician!

Reg
Geoffrey Ramadan B.E.(Elec)
Chairman, Automatic Data Capture Association (www.adca.com.au)
and
Managing Director, Unique Micro Design (www.umd.com.au)


Jan Whitaker wrote:
>
> http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22989888-5006364,00.html
> ATM scams get hi-tech
> Article from: AAP
> December 31, 2007 09:30am
>
> CRIMINALS are using wireless technology to skim personal 
> identification numbers from bank cards at ATMs while sitting up to 
> 100m away.
>
> Police say wireless keypad overlays are being used on ATMs in the 
> latest international scam expected to hit Australian shores soon.
>
> The keypads instantly transmit a person's secret PIN to a nearby 
> laptop, replacing traditional skimming devices which were attached to 
> ATMs.
>
> "Under the old technology if they lost the skimming machine because it 
> was detected or they could not retrieve it, they lost all the data,'' 
> Detective Superintendent Brian Hay of Queensland police said.
>
> "Now, they can retain the information collected between the time the 
> device is put on the ATM and when it is collected or compromised.''
>
> Supt Hay said the new technology also meant skimmers no longer needed 
> to install spy cameras on ATMs to record PINs.
>
> "All the card data is transmitted to their laptops while they're 
> having a cup of coffee up to 100m away,'' he said.
>
> "They design the keypad overlays for specific types of ATMs so it 
> makes them very difficult to detect.''
>
> Police found the technology could be bought on the internet from black 
> market websites.
>
> "There is no evidence yet of the wireless technology being used in 
> Australia but we know they are trading on the Internet,'' he said.
>
> "We know the technology is out there and crooks can buy it so it will 
> be inevitable it will happen here.''
>
>
>
> Jan Whitaker
> JLWhitaker Associates, Melbourne Victoria
> jwhit at janwhitaker.com
> business: http://www.janwhitaker.com
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> commentary: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/
>
> Living, like writing, requires no wisdom. Only revising does. - Jim 
> Sollisch, Sept, 2007
> 'Seed planting is often the most important step. Without the seed, 
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