Police officers respond to cash machine fraud in Long Eaton and surrounding areas

Police officers in Long Eaton have issued guidance after incidents of cash machine fraud in Long Eaton and the surrounding areas.

Several reports of skimming have been received whereby criminals install devices on machines including in Sawley and Sandiacre, which may result in the card being unexpectedly retained by the it, or with the card detailed being 'skimmed' in order to produce a counterfeit card being produced/used thereafter.

Fraudsters will place a false device on the machine which are often the same shape and colour and are designed to capture the card itself or information in the magnetic stripe when the card is unknowingly inserted.  Devices found on these machines have been removed, however, this has been done with a call for continuing vigilance from machine users.

Fraudsters may watch people enter their PIN, or, as in these recent cases place a covert camera on the ATM to obtain the PIN. With this information, they may be able to produce a counterfeit card or use the original card with obtained PIN details to withdraw money from the user's account. 

A video has been posted online to offer more guidance on what to look out for whilst guidance has also been issued alongside.

Here are a few pointers on How to Protect Yourself from this type of Fraud:

• Remain vigilant when using an ATM in public, and never allow yourself to be distracted.
• Shield your PIN when using the card machine.
• Examine the ATM for any evidence that suggests it could have been tampered with-such as metal shavings, glue or sticky residue around the card slot entry, the card placement being bent slightly, or the decal beneath the card reader being discoloured.
• Report if your card has been retained immediately to your card issuer, as the fraudster is likely to try and use your card.
• Report to the police if your card is taken by the machine, either at a local police station, over the telephone or on the police website.
• Don’t attempt to remove a false device if it is still on the card machine, the fraudster may still be nearby and could use violence to prevent you from removing it.
• Never re-input your PIN if your card is not returned to you.
• Fraudsters can tamper with an ATM to try and steal your card details. Where possible, try and use an ATM located within a bank.