Sioux Falls, USA, May 2009
The ATM Industry Association (ATMIA) (www.atmia.com) today announced the launch of an international Anti Skimming Forum to counteract one of the industry’s most recurrent fraud threats.
“Just over 4 500 of the 11 360 ATM crimes recorded on our global Cognito crime data management system for the 2005-2008 period involve skimming,” Mike Lee, CEO of ATMIA, commented. “It’s probably the most widespread crime type we face.”
Skimming is defined as the unauthorized capture of magnetic stripe information by modifying the hardware or software of a payment device, or through the use of a separate card reader. Skimming is often accompanied by the capture of customer PIN data.
The mission of the new forum is to measure the global impact of skimming through the pooling and analysis of data and to encourage target hardening. It is also to write best practices for preventing and reducing skimming. This will include a global skimming classification system. It is envisaged that there will be a lobbying role to increase sentences for convictions for skimming in order to create a stronger deterrent effect.
Lee believes more can be done in terms of educating customers to protect their PINs by covering the hand used to key in the PIN at the ATM, in order to help prevent illegal PIN capture. This simple measure alone would significantly reduce the success rate of skimming attacks.
About ATMIA
www.atmia.com
The ATM Industry Association is a global non-profit trade association with over 1,200 members in about 50 countries. Its mission is to promote ATM convenience, growth and usage worldwide, protect the ATM industry's assets, interests, good name and public trust; and provide education, best practices, political voice and networking opportunities for member organizations. In June 2003, ATMIA established the Global ATM Security Alliance (GASA) (www.globalasa.com) with the mission to employ global security resources in a united alliance in order to protect the ATM industry from criminal activity.
The ATM Industry Association is a global non-profit trade association with over 1,200 members in about 50 countries. Its mission is to promote ATM convenience, growth and usage worldwide, protect the ATM industry's assets, interests, good name and public trust; and provide education, best practices, political voice and networking opportunities for member organizations. In June 2003, ATMIA established the Global ATM Security Alliance (GASA) (www.globalasa.com) with the mission to employ global security resources in a united alliance in order to protect the ATM industry from criminal activity.
