Cash in Hand

Cash in Hand

Three ways to protect off-premises ATMs

If your bank, credit union or non-bank organization operates ATMs in remote locations, such as convenience stores or shopping malls, a bank heist that occurred in Japan last year probably caught your attention.

According to news reports, fraudsters used 1,600 fake cards to withdraw money from multiple ATMs belonging to the same South African bank. In just a few hours, the coordinated attack—focused on ATMs in convenience stores—drained the bank of more than $13 million.

While the magnitude of this fraud is rare, it should give ATM operators pause to consider the level of security they have in place around their off-premises ATMs.

Off-premises ATMs can be easy targets for thieves because they often don’t have the same level of security or surveillance that financial institutions have in their own branches.

Also, as ATM operators continue the transition to EMV or “chip” technology for bank cards, experts warn that self-serve ATMs and gas pumps are becoming more of a target for thieves. That’s because criminals are rushing to make a buck while magnetic strip cards, seen as less secure, are still being accepted by these channels.

According to credit scoring agency FICO, from 2015 to 2016, the number of payment cards compromised at U.S. ATMs or point-of-sale systems rose by 70 percent. Further, a full 60 percent of those compromises occurred at non-bank ATMs, following a similar pattern noted the previous year. In a recent report about ATM skimming, the agency said criminal activity was highest in places like convenience stores.

So what can banks, credit unions and non-bank operators do to better protect their ATMs and their customers? Taking a multi-layered approach to security is best.

Regularly Inspect Your ATMs

Operators should regularly inspect all of their off-premises ATMs. Are they functioning properly? Do they appear to have been tampered with? Are they located in well lit, high traffic areas?

It sounds simple, but taking the time to ensure that all of your remote ATMs are inspected in person can help prevent issues and detect suspicious activity sooner.

Deploy High-Quality Video Surveillance

Ensure you have adequate video surveillance in place. This means surveillance cameras capturing the ATM machine and its surroundings, but also ATM cameras inside the machines that capture clear views of patrons’ faces.

One recommendation is to use an ATM camera with High Dynamic Range (HDR), a feature that merges multiple exposures into one image with the best balance of lighting possible. This capability can be invaluable in ATM settings where patrons’ faces are often backlit with bright sunlight.

Proper video surveillance not only helps address crimes like skimming and card trapping, but it can also help deter other types of fraud, such as the depositing of empty envelopes or counterfeit checks.

Use Integrated Video, Transaction Data and Analytics

Regularly monitoring transaction data for suspicious activity is essential to thwarting ATM fraud like skimming or “cashouts,” where thieves drain the ATM of large amounts of cash through nefarious means.

By deploying a video surveillance solution that’s integrated with ATM transaction data and intelligent analytics, you can very quickly detect potentially fraudulent transactions, or even just suspicious activity, like loitering around machines.

Integrated video solutions allow you to very rapidly sort through all of your transactions and find irregular activity, such as the same person making multiple transactions with different cards or someone standing in front of an ATM for a period of time without making a transaction (a possible sign of someone installing a skimming device).

By configuring alerts, the system can automatically notify you when it detects this type of activity.

This article originally appeared in the September 2017 issue of Security Today.

About the Author

Daniel Caggiula is the banking solutions manager at March Networks.

Featured

  • Smarter Access Starts with Flexibility

    Today’s workplaces are undergoing a rapid evolution, driven by hybrid work models, emerging smart technologies, and flexible work schedules. To keep pace with growing workplace demands, buildings are becoming more dynamic – capable of adapting to how people move, work, and interact in real-time. Read Now

  • Trends Keeping an Eye on Business Decisions

    Today, AI continues to transform the way data is used to make important business decisions. AI and the cloud together are redefining how video surveillance systems are being used to simulate human intelligence by combining data analysis, prediction, and process automation with minimal human intervention. Many organizations are upgrading their surveillance systems to reap the benefits of technologies like AI and cloud applications. Read Now

  • The Future is Happening Outside the Cloud

    For years, the cloud has captivated the physical security industry. And for good reason. Remote access, elastic scalability and simplified maintenance reshaped how we think about deploying and managing systems. But as the number of cameras grows and resolutions push from HD to 4K and beyond, the cloud’s limits are becoming unavoidable. Bandwidth bottlenecks. Latency lags. Rising storage costs. These are not abstract concerns. Read Now

  • Right-Wing Activist Charlie Kirk Dies After Utah Valley University Shooting

    Charlie Kirk, a popular conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, died Wednesday after being shot during an on-campus event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah Read Now

  • The Impact of Convergence Between IT and Physical Security

    For years, the worlds of physical security and information technology (IT) remained separate. While they shared common goals and interests, they often worked in silos. Read Now

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.