EAST Publishes European Fraud Update 2-2015

EAST has just published its second European Fraud Update for 2015. This is based on country crime updates given by representatives of 19 countries in the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), and 2 non-SEPA countries, at the 36th EAST meeting held at Europol in the Hague on 10th June 2015.

Card skimming at ATMs was reported by 17 countries, with decreases reported by 7 countries and increases by two. Six countries reported card data compromise through wire-tapping or ‘Eavesdropping’ – the criminals cut a hole in the fascia near to the card reader, insert a device which is connected internally to the card reader and then cover the hole with a fake decal.

Skimming attacks on other terminal types were reported by 8 countries and overall the number of attacks appears to be decreasing.

Fourteen countries reported cash trapping attacks and 7 countries incidents of transaction reversal fraud (TRF).

ATM malware incidents were reported by four countries. These were ATM ‘cash out’ or ‘jackpotting’ attacks. Two of the countries reported such attacks for the first time. To help counter this threat Europol has recently published a document entitled ‘Guidance and Recommendations regarding Logical attacks on ATMs’.

Ram raids and ATM burglary were reported by 9 countries, with one of them reporting increases in this type of attack and another a new method for accessing the ATM from below. Eleven countries reported explosive gas attacks, and two of them also reported attacks on ATMs using solid explosives.

The full Fraud Update is available to EAST Members (National and Associate) and Subscribers.