Skimming makes a comeback too

SMALL PRINT:LOTS OF LASER and debit cards were blocked over Easter because they had been compromised by ATM skimming. From staff at Today FM and Newstalk (duped at their local ATM) to the President's husband (who had five grand stolen), it appears victims of card skimming are on the up.

Gardai earlier this year seized sophisticated “third generation” devices for skimming cards. But how do criminals actually manage to steal money from your account with these devices? Although most banks have installed anti-skimming software, constantly evolving methods coupled with old-school techniques are bringing skimming back in a big way in 2011.

Shoulder surfing:the original and probably still one of the most reliable ways of obtaining information. It involves simply looking over your shoulder at an ATM and memorising your PIN. It's teamed with an ability to get data from your card, a device that swallows your card, or simply robbing your card after your PIN is obtained.

The Lebanese Loop:a rather outdated device that is fitted to an ATM card slot – a small fake card slot and a loop of plastic – that seizes your card, which is then collected by removing the device.

Pin-hole cameras:usually fitted at the top of the ATM and angled to film you entering your PIN.

Fake keypad:an overlay on a real keypad that obtains PIN numbers.

Skimming devices:third-generation devices that mimic ATM card slots – such as the new AIB green card slots – and skim the data from the black strip at the back of your card, which can then be replicated onto another card.

Mobile skimming devices:installed in debit and credit card machines that contain a SIM card and memory card, storing information and transmitting both the card data and pin to a centralised computer.