Skimming is a scam where the magnetic data on the cash card or credit card is illicitly read stealthily to make a counterfeit copy of the card. It involves the use of a device called "skimming card reader (skimmer)." It does not steal the card itself, but only the information, Iit is often the case that the victim does not notice it until cash is withdrawn from his/her account.
- Do not hand your cash card or credit card to a third party. Always carry the bag which contains your cards on you.
- Do not use the same PIN number for non-banking purposes, such as lockers and safety boxes. Do not write your PIN on paper and carry it with your card. Also, we urge you not to use numbers easily associated with your birthday, address or telephone, for they can be guessed by third parties.
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There are cases where a skimming card reader has been placed on the ATM. Such readers are very cleverly made, so caution should be exercised not to be caught in the fraud.
- Some of the skimming card readers found overseas are very deftly made. When you use an international cash card abroad, we recommend that you change your PIN or reduce the daily withdrawal limit to zero after you return home.
- "Card information was stolen at a chiropractor's office"
Mr. A went to have a chiropractic treatment. There, patients stored their belongings in lockers which were locked with four-digit PINs. A few days later, Mr. A noticed that a cash withdrawal had been made without his knowledge. How did that happen?
In fact, the employees of the chiropractor's office had been involved in organized fraud. They would open the lockers while the patients were having a treatment, find the cash card, read the information with a skimmer, and put the cash card back. They would naturally have the patients' personal information, such as their birthdays. They took advantage of the fact that many patients used their birth date as their PIN.
- Skimming can be done in a very short time.
- Victims used PINs which were easily guessed.
- The cards were not stolen.
