Jul 10
27
Fermanagh warning against ATM skimmers
Sinn Féin councillor for Erne West Phil Flanagan has warned people to be careful of potential skimming devices when using cash machines.
His call follows a warning that skimming devices have reportedly been used to record card details and steal money from a number of victims across Fermanagh, Down and Armagh in the past week.
Mr Flanagan said: “These types of sophisticated scams are becoming more and more common. With such a high number of people being paid directly into their bank accounts, whether it is a salary or benefits, people are more reliant than ever on their local ATM to access their money. It is disgusting that people are exploiting this for their own personal gain.
“I would urge people to be careful of these skimming devices and to have a good look at the cash machine before using it. I would also encourage people to notify the responsible bank if they do notice anything suspicious about a cash machine and to avoid using it immediately.
“As part of this scam, there may also be people hanging about to get a look at PIN numbers being entered and to combat this, I would advise people to keep their PIN number hidden when it is being entered and to be weary of anyone acting suspiciously around an ATM or that tries to distract an ATM user whilst in the middle of a transaction.
“The easiest way to prevent scams of this sort, although it is not always possible, is to use the cash withdrawal facilities in bank branches or post offices, as these tend to provide greater security for the customer.”
