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Johannesburg – People should take extra care when using ATMs during the World Cup, as criminal syndicates may follow tourists into the country, a bank said on Thursday.
"Criminal syndicates follow international tourists to big sporting events around the world," head of Absa's card fraud management Jan Kruger said in a statement.
These syndicates may be active in South Africa during the World Cup, as they were in Germany before, during and after the 2006 event.
Police had recovered "a number" of card skimming devices that revealed continued technological advances by criminal syndicates. The devices were being manufactured to be invisible to the untrained eye and fit over ATM card slots.
Cards were scanned as users inserted them into the ATM. Syndicates then used mini cameras, installed alongside the skimming equipment, to steal customers' PINs at the same time.
"Technology means cards can be cloned instantly using portable encoding devices and laptops and typically used at another ATM within 10 minutes."
Unsuspecting cardholders were usually none the wiser.
"Criminal syndicates follow international tourists to big sporting events around the world," head of Absa's card fraud management Jan Kruger said in a statement.
These syndicates may be active in South Africa during the World Cup, as they were in Germany before, during and after the 2006 event.
Police had recovered "a number" of card skimming devices that revealed continued technological advances by criminal syndicates. The devices were being manufactured to be invisible to the untrained eye and fit over ATM card slots.
Cards were scanned as users inserted them into the ATM. Syndicates then used mini cameras, installed alongside the skimming equipment, to steal customers' PINs at the same time.
"Technology means cards can be cloned instantly using portable encoding devices and laptops and typically used at another ATM within 10 minutes."
Unsuspecting cardholders were usually none the wiser.
