Garda alert on 'shoulder surfing' pin number scam

GARDAÍ HAVE warned shoppers to take extra care when paying for goods following the arrest of three people earlier this week over the theft and use of debit and credit cards.

The three were charged on Tuesday in relation to so-called “shoulder surfing” incidents.

These incidents typically involve an individual closely observing shoppers and noting down their pin numbers when they are paying for goods.

Shoppers are then approached outside of stores in places such as shopping centre car parks where they are distracted and their cards stolen and used to purchase goods elsewhere.

Gardaí said there had been a marked increase in cases involving “shoulder surfing” in recent months, with most incidents involving thefts from women’s handbags.

One Laser card stolen in Co Leitrim went unnoticed by the victims for a number of days, allowing the criminals to spend €40,000 on the card in 130 fraudulent transactions over a four-day period.

Gardaí said 84 CCTV images had been secured in which the card in this case was used around the country.

A man (45) and woman (38) were arrested at Dublin airport on Monday in connection with the theft and use of credit and debit cards as they were about to board a flight for Amsterdam.

In a follow-up investigation, a man was arrested in Tallaght and later charged and released on bail to appear at Tallaght District Court on Monday next.

All three people arrested were Romanian nationals.

The Garda Fraud Bureau advises shoppers to try to cover keypads when keying in pin numbers and to abort transactions if they feel someone is watching their actions.

Separately, the Irish Payment Services Organisation has warned consumers that victims of such crimes may not have any redress.

Una Dillion, head of card services at Ipso, said such incidents are viewed differently from related crimes such as skimming of cards.

“In cases of ‘shoulder surfing,’ people could be seen to have been negligent in giving away both their pin number and allowing their card to then be stolen,” she said.

“Banks are aware of this particular crime and have updated fraud monitoring systems to record unusual transactions but it is possible that customers could lose out as banks are likely to consider such incidents on an individual basis.

“The bottom line for customers is to remember that their pin is essentially the key to their accounts so should be safely guarded.”

A recently published guide on fraud prevention, produced by Ipso in collaboration with the Irish Banking Federation, An Garda Síochána and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, is available from Garda stations, banks and post offices.