Comments on: ATM Skimmers, Part II http://krebsonsecurity.com/2010/02/atm-skimmers-part-ii/ In-depth security news and investigation Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:29:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Piz http://krebsonsecurity.com/2010/02/atm-skimmers-part-ii/comment-page-2/#comment-25737 Piz Fri, 02 Sep 2011 01:22:30 +0000 http://www.krebsonsecurity.com/?p=859#comment-25737 That article is from 1997. That article is from 1997.

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]]> By: Ray Butthead http://krebsonsecurity.com/2010/02/atm-skimmers-part-ii/comment-page-2/#comment-22335 Ray Butthead Fri, 20 May 2011 23:32:50 +0000 http://www.krebsonsecurity.com/?p=859#comment-22335 I believe you, but the expenses related to check and cash processing will vary with the type of business. Some businesses are indeed much better operating as cash-only. Remember, however, that cash is never free. You probably have to pay for your change from the bank, plus you have the costs of security, insurance, and the cost of theft risk from employees, etc. It's a judgement call and indeed many business should switch to cash only. Debit/Credit cards were sold pretty agressively and now seem normal to nearly all consumers, much to the benefits of Visa/MasterCard. (And of course checks cost money too due to fraud and returned items, etc. Most banks charge for check deposits too.) I believe you, but the expenses related to check and cash processing will vary with the type of business. Some businesses are indeed much better operating as cash-only. Remember, however, that cash is never free. You probably have to pay for your change from the bank, plus you have the costs of security, insurance, and the cost of theft risk from employees, etc. It’s a judgement call and indeed many business should switch to cash only. Debit/Credit cards were sold pretty agressively and now seem normal to nearly all consumers, much to the benefits of Visa/MasterCard. (And of course checks cost money too due to fraud and returned items, etc. Most banks charge for check deposits too.)

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]]> By: AlphaCentauri http://krebsonsecurity.com/2010/02/atm-skimmers-part-ii/comment-page-2/#comment-22331 AlphaCentauri Fri, 20 May 2011 21:56:41 +0000 http://www.krebsonsecurity.com/?p=859#comment-22331 Save your time: http://articles.philly.com/1997-02-03/news/25533453_1_emergency-number-emergency-response-officers

Save your time:
http://articles.philly.com/1997-02-03/news/25533453_1_emergency-number-emergency-response-officers

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]]> By: Robert http://krebsonsecurity.com/2010/02/atm-skimmers-part-ii/comment-page-2/#comment-22303 Robert Fri, 20 May 2011 12:26:09 +0000 http://www.krebsonsecurity.com/?p=859#comment-22303 As a company that accepts all forms of payment, I can tell you that cash and checks are far less expensive to accept than are credit cards. I pay just under 3% per credit card transaction because I'm small potatoes compared to Walmart and the like. Fortunately, most of my clients pay by cash or check. And, of course, cash goes into a coffee can. Even though it's against most merchant agreements, you are seeing more merchants these days (mom and pops, mostly) adding an up-charge for credit purchases. As a company that accepts all forms of payment, I can tell you that cash and checks are far less expensive to accept than are credit cards. I pay just under 3% per credit card transaction because I’m small potatoes compared to Walmart and the like. Fortunately, most of my clients pay by cash or check. And, of course, cash goes into a coffee can.

Even though it’s against most merchant agreements, you are seeing more merchants these days (mom and pops, mostly) adding an up-charge for credit purchases.

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]]> By: Ray Butlers http://krebsonsecurity.com/2010/02/atm-skimmers-part-ii/comment-page-2/#comment-22300 Ray Butlers Fri, 20 May 2011 11:52:40 +0000 http://www.krebsonsecurity.com/?p=859#comment-22300 All retail customers pay all expenses for the retailer, including banking services, rent, etc. You dont' get a menu of the things you don't want to pay for. ....and cash is an expense as well....and so are checks.... so....if I use a credit card, they should charge me for their credit card expenses, but NOT for cash and check expenses, right? All retail customers pay all expenses for the retailer, including banking services, rent, etc. You dont’ get a menu of the things you don’t want to pay for.

….and cash is an expense as well….and so are checks….
so….if I use a credit card, they should charge me for their credit card expenses, but NOT for cash and check expenses, right?

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]]> By: Ray Butlers http://krebsonsecurity.com/2010/02/atm-skimmers-part-ii/comment-page-2/#comment-22299 Ray Butlers Fri, 20 May 2011 11:48:31 +0000 http://www.krebsonsecurity.com/?p=859#comment-22299 Anecdotes are a waste of time. Plus, I'll be looking this one up on Snopes.

Anecdotes are a waste of time. Plus, I’ll be looking this one up on Snopes.

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]]> By: Robert http://krebsonsecurity.com/2010/02/atm-skimmers-part-ii/comment-page-3/#comment-22083 Robert Sun, 15 May 2011 23:59:56 +0000 http://www.krebsonsecurity.com/?p=859#comment-22083 There are card readers that are far more difficult to mount skimming equipment to. Redbox has designed a simple reader that appears all-but-impossible to attach a skimmer to. Why don't the ATM and gas pump manufacturers do this? Some ATMs use full capture readers in order to confiscate cards that are reported stolen. This is unnecessary as once it's reported stolen, it shouldn't be possible to use again anyway. I suppose the manufacturers feel the price to retrofit is greater than their losses to fraud -- nevermind that their customers are the ones who suffer terrible inconvenience! As usual, everything is measured against the bottomline. There are card readers that are far more difficult to mount skimming equipment to. Redbox has designed a simple reader that appears all-but-impossible to attach a skimmer to. Why don’t the ATM and gas pump manufacturers do this?

Some ATMs use full capture readers in order to confiscate cards that are reported stolen. This is unnecessary as once it’s reported stolen, it shouldn’t be possible to use again anyway.

I suppose the manufacturers feel the price to retrofit is greater than their losses to fraud — nevermind that their customers are the ones who suffer terrible inconvenience! As usual, everything is measured against the bottomline.

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]]> By: AlphaCentauri http://krebsonsecurity.com/2010/02/atm-skimmers-part-ii/comment-page-2/#comment-22058 AlphaCentauri Sun, 15 May 2011 14:47:23 +0000 http://www.krebsonsecurity.com/?p=859#comment-22058 My city has only 911 for all calls, too. But a couple years ago a teenager who lives here was taking public transportation to visit a friend in the suburbs and got completely lost. He didn't know what to do, but had been told when he was a child to look for a policeman when he got lost. He called 911 and was arrested for misusing the emergency service.

My city has only 911 for all calls, too. But a couple years ago a teenager who lives here was taking public transportation to visit a friend in the suburbs and got completely lost. He didn’t know what to do, but had been told when he was a child to look for a policeman when he got lost. He called 911 and was arrested for misusing the emergency service.

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]]> By: Allen http://krebsonsecurity.com/2010/02/atm-skimmers-part-ii/comment-page-2/#comment-21899 Allen Thu, 12 May 2011 17:41:31 +0000 http://www.krebsonsecurity.com/?p=859#comment-21899 This might vary from municipality to municipality, but it may be universal now: Our police force asks people to always use 911, even for non-emergencies, as it GREATLY increases public participation in reporting vandalism, etc. When I asked the Chief of police about interfering with real emergencies, he said the first thing they ask when you call is whether it's an emergency, and if it's not, they slide you off to the non-emergency line. They say that they are constantly fighting what they call an out-of date recommendation not to use 911, and work every day to change that perception. As I say, I don't know if this is universal so you should check with your locals to find out what they want you to do, but it seems like something that every modern PBX or whatever office telephony system should be able to easily support.

This might vary from municipality to municipality, but it may be universal now: Our police force asks people to always use 911, even for non-emergencies, as it GREATLY increases public participation in reporting vandalism, etc. When I asked the Chief of police about interfering with real emergencies, he said the first thing they ask when you call is whether it’s an emergency, and if it’s not, they slide you off to the non-emergency line. They say that they are constantly fighting what they call an out-of date recommendation not to use 911, and work every day to change that perception.

As I say, I don’t know if this is universal so you should check with your locals to find out what they want you to do, but it seems like something that every modern PBX or whatever office telephony system should be able to easily support.

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]]> By: Jorge http://krebsonsecurity.com/2010/02/atm-skimmers-part-ii/comment-page-2/#comment-21548 Jorge Wed, 04 May 2011 23:55:46 +0000 http://www.krebsonsecurity.com/?p=859#comment-21548 Besides your recommendation about don't remove the skimmer to avoid a security problem, also in many places the perpretators are normally watching the ATM, and I'm sure they wouldn't as nice as the internal security, you know what I mean, so you better just leave and make your calls from a secure place.

Besides your recommendation about don’t remove the skimmer to avoid a security problem, also in many places the perpretators are normally watching the ATM, and I’m sure they wouldn’t as nice as the internal security, you know what I mean, so you better just leave and make your calls from a secure place.

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