Card-skimming devices found fitted to East Lancashire ATMs (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Card-skimming devices found fitted to East Lancashire ATMs

9:30am Wednesday 19th January 2011 in News By David Watkinson, Deputy news editor

SEIZED: A card- skimming device was found on this cashpoint at Barclays Bank in Church Street, Colne

Sophisticated card-skimming devices have been discovered at two cash machines in East Lancashire.

Police seized the devices from town centre machines, but fear they could have been there for several days before they were spotted.

One of the scams was at Lloyds TSB in Church Street, Clitheroe and another at Barclays Bank, in Church Street, Colne.

It is not thought any information was passed to the criminals from the devices before they were seized by police, but officers said it was impossible to be certain about that.

As well as a card-skimmer, which reads the electronic info-rmation from the card, the fraudsters also planted a pin-hole camera above the keypad to record victims tapping in their pin numbers.

Criminals transfer the electronic information to another plastic card and use that and the pin number to withdraw money from their victims’ accounts.

Police said the device, made to blend into the cash machine, would have been extremely difficult to detect.

Officers seized the cameras and the skimming device.

It was in place between January 6 and 7 in Clitheroe, and was discovered after concerns were raised from the bank.

Police said a similar device was seized on Tuesday, January 11, at Barclays Bank, in Church Street, Colne.

Detective Sergeant Nigel Watson said: “This issue is a big concern because if you go to a cash point you have no way of knowing whether a device has been put in place or not – that is how sophisticated they are.

“All we can do is urge all ATM users to always put your hand over your finger when entering your PIN number.

"The offenders have tampered with the machine, more than likely during the night time when the original card reader is removed and a replacement card reader device fitted.

“This device records the magnetic information of customer’s cards when they use the ATM.

“A second component is then fitted above the PIN key pad which resembles part of the fascia of the ATM.

“This component actually houses a pin hole video camera, has an internal power source, and video records the customer inputting their PIN to the ATM.”