Urging Others to Be Wary of ATM Skimming, US Attorney Says She Was a Victim Herself
Law enforcement agencies are working to try to cut down on prolific internet fraud, including the so-called computerized and photographic skimming of bank customers’ account information as they use their cards at automated teller machines and key in personal identification numbers.
One sign that authorities aren’t yet on top of the estimated $1 billion-a-year crime despite a number of recent arrests: The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington recently was victimized herself in a skimming fraud after she used her card at an ATM, the Seattle Times reports.
At a news conference yesterday, U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan indicated she might have avoided the loss by exercising greater vigilance, and she urged other consumers to be careful out there.
In a hurry to leave town, she stopped at an ATM kiosk and noted that the card-activated door lock was broken. “I thought it was unusual,” she recounts. But she took out money anyway. When she next checked her account, $1,000 was missing.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “As Hackers Steal Up to $1B Annually from Biz Bank Accounts, Victims May Have No Recourse”
