Bank Card Stolen and Cash Taken!

[notesink]

I just had my bank card stolen at the HSBC cash machine on Lordship Lane about an hour ago. It was a team of 2 people, one man and one woman, who were working together. Others may be aware of this scam, but if not they are looking for your pin number and then fool you into thinking (or try to anyway) that the machine ate your card. I called the police and made a report and called my husband asap (called my husband quickly before phoning the police). Within in 2 minutes of calling my husband and having the card canceled they had already taken out a large sum of money right on the next block at the post office cash machine. Please cover your pin number and be very aware of people around you! I knew he took it though he was trying to tell me the machine took it. He had a brochure folded in his hand that he slipped it into, I tried to grab his hand and feel for the card to get it back, but of course he cussed me out for doing that and the woman tried to distract me saying he was just trying to help and that the machine took her card too. So please be aware!

[RockyZool]

What a horrific experience. What did they look like?

[uncleglen]

So it looks like they are targetting branches with branches close by. There should be cctv somewhere around there and their details should be widely publicised since this is happening with horrendous regularity.

[notesink]

Yes, the police said this is a regular occurrence. I don't know that they are targeting branches with branches close by so much as just trying to see your pin number and using machines where there are other machines nearby (though not necessarily the same branch in this case). And believe me, it was very smooth, like a magic trick. I can't believe someone swiped my card right in front of me! To RockyZool, it was a man and a woman, darker skinned. He is a bit of a blur unfortunately, but he was about 5'6" with short dark brown hair with a stocky build. She had a pony tail with dark hair, big round sunglasses and a green wallet in her hand.

[lameduck]

BxxxxxDS!

[mmag]

You poor thing,and thanks for sharing that.

[Callie]

oh no not again! I only read about this on here the other day. It was the thread about the card theft by Sainsburys. I wonder if it's the same thieves!

[UncleBen]

Thanks for letting us know. Hope you're ok.

[tomskip]

So sorry to hear this and how awful for you! Your post and other recent similar posts will definitely make me more on my guard around cash machines in future. Infact, I might just start getting all my cash out as cashback in shops from now on. I am sure your bank will refund you notesink, but it is horrible to realise you have been scammed like this.

[Twirly]

That's horrible, so sorry to hear this. Hope you're OK.

[Loz]

OK, a bit of shutting the barn door after the horse has bolted, but...

Always, ALWAYS cover your PIN number entry. I learnt this after I got hit by a cloning machine/hidden camera at an ATM. Even in a shop, you don't know where the CCTV cameras are or who is watching. Protect your PIN!!

[notesink]

I'm ok, thanks! I just feel like an idiot! It's frustrating to have someone do this right under your nose! And they took out a big chunk of cash on the very next block. I'm sure our fraud protection will cover it, but still someone pays for this. Plus most of us want to assume the best in people, not the worst, but I guess you have to assume the worst sometimes, especially at cash machines! This machine had eaten my card before legitimately and the person in front of me did not get cash, which I noticed. I figured he just checked his balance. So when they pulled the, "this machine just ate my card" number, for a sec I thought maybe it did but quickly knew I had been had! The police came right away though, which was good and I rode around with them for a bit looking for the thieves at various cash machines in the area. No luck catching them today though.

[laurajaynewoodhouse]

Don't feel like an idiot, it could happen to anyone if the culprits are slick enough. Glad you are ok : )

[mysticmark]

No, dont feel like an idiot; its normal to expect to live without such threatening people. Thanks for posting. Just wondering tho, did they stand so close to see your pin?

[giggirl]

How did they get your pin?

[notesink]

Yes, they stood so close they could see me enter my pin. I guess they watched me enter it in while they were standing just behind me. She was sort of on my left, while he was sort of on my right. There were people in line at each of the 3 HSBC cash machines so I knew people were around me but didn't realize they were purposely watching, of course. After I entered my pin, she startled me on the left saying "that machine just took my card don't use it!" Or something like that, and in the second that I looked over at her, he had hit cancel and my card ejected and he slipped in in a brochure in his hand. He had said something too, like "don't use this machine," sort of pointing to it, though really hitting cancel and swiping my card. They both kind of stood there to help, saying things like "maybe we should go in the bank to get ours out" (the bank was closed of course). I started to argue with him telling him I knew he took my card and grabbed his hand as hard as I could. But then he cussed me out and walked off while she was distracting me. So cover your pin with your other hand over it! I always stand super close to the machines, but I guess I wasn't close enough and didn't cover my hand. I'd recommend putting your bank's phone number in your phone as well just to save time to try to cancel your card very quickly.

[KidKruger]

Sorry to hear about this. I'll definitely take more care when using machines myself, thanks for detailed info.

[giggirl]

The technique that I use is to place my left hand directly on top of the keypad. I slide my right hand underneath and find the first two digits automatically, like touch typing. It doesn't matter how close someone is to me, they can't see the numbers being entered. Even if it's 2am in the morning and there is nobody around, you still need to cover your pin in case the machine has been skimmed and there is a camera set up to capture pins.

[Huggers]

I have hand over keypad and immediately my hand over the place the card emerges so both protected. I havent had anyone close but if i do, in future, i will ask them loudly to step back from the machine!

[Loz]

I cover my hand and have three fingers over three buttons (i.e. 1/2/3 or 7/8/9) so it's really hard to see what I am typing.

[ratty]

I fake type about 6 or 7 numbers in between each real one. Dunno why, I just thought it might work because they would know what real numbers I was inputting

[EDOliver]

ratty Wrote:

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> I fake type about 6 or 7 numbers in between each

> real one. Dunno why, I just thought it might work

> because they would know what real numbers I was

> inputting

Great minds think alike......throw them a few dummies then type my real pin in.

[EDOliver]

I still can't understand why these banks (that make billions a year) don't fit CCTV above the machines is beyond me. Surely there must be ways of stopping this from happening!

[Twoddle]

They have infinite money, it's created out of thin air in the form of debt.

[Loz]

Twoddle Wrote:

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> They have infinite money, it's created out of thin

> air in the form of debt.

It's not infinite - the fractional reserve system requires a certain fraction of reserves to be held. And, of course, the 'created' money disappears again when the debt is paid off.