Cathay Dupont Warning! Avoiding ATM Scam When in Japan

The government and international immigration give warning to travellers and expatriates working in Japan to beware of fraudulent transactions and identity thieves.

An Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) is a convenient way to get money from a bank account. People can manage their bank transactions without going over the counter. Machines are located in accessible areas like business establishments and various bank locations for people to easily dispense the cash needed. However, people have reported problems regarding the use of ATMs. Its users are experiencing problems since the crooks are prowling on the machine, as well as its users.

Although ATMs are made with security, criminals can still easily get away with money. By using skimming devices, felons can hack the system. They can also get various information such as account number, password, and personal details for the crooks to hack and get the money from the ATM card. The police are alerted and an investigation is being done due to several reports on ATM scam.

losing money from atm

Many have filed their complaint about how they lose money from using the ATM. In Japan, a crime has been committed to several ATM users. The money in their accounts has been stolen. People unaware of how skimming devices work are the prey of fraudsters. Through a wireless network, criminals can quickly hack and complete a fraudulent activity.

According to the police investigation, the criminals have stolen millions of dollars in just three hours. They did it by installing skimming devices in different machines located in Tokyo and across the country. It was attached to the keypad and card slot of the ATM which gather the information needed to hack an account. Without any physical, it can easily gather the details such as account name, password and other information from the card.

atm scam

The criminals have stolen big amounts of money using counterfeit Standard Bank credit cards. There was a gang behind the scheme. The money amounted to about 1.4 billion yen which was accumulated in 14,000 transactions. According to reports, the money was withdrawn from ATMs located at 7-Eleven convenience stores.

Seven Bank cooperated with the Japanese police to pinpoint the culprits who stole a big amount of cash from different accountholders. Financial Services Authority (FSA), Japan’s banking regulator, also investigated the crime.

Seven Bank has 22,000 ATMs across the country. It accepts not only local bank cards but also overseas credit cards. According to the experts, the company and the banks were under fire because they have failed to monitor the transactions. The criminals were able to withdraw big amounts of cash in different locations at the same time. Their high security must have prevented the scam. If they have the reliable system, they could have prevented and stopped the fraudulent transactions.

This type of con activity puts the ATM users at risk. Different agencies like Cathay Dupont helps people to prevent fraudulent transaction by giving warning to their clients. Before withdrawing money from machines, always check the card slot and keypad.