Two of my colleagues have had their Bank Cards cloned and their accounts wiped out this week.

Their card companies think its been happening at machines at Natwest on Deansgate/John Dalton Street Manchester which is a very busy set of cash machines. Both of my colleagues say that they didn't notice anything odd about the machines and both claim to be careful when entering their pin.

Barclays Machines have recently been targeted on the London Underground and the considered opinion of the Police is that this type of cloning activity is being stepped up all over the country before CHIP and PIN is fully rolled out.

I always thought that I'd be able to tell easily that a machine had been tampered with and then I saw these pictures:


A Standard Barclays Cash Machine

Tampered Barclays Cash Machine with Reader Device

I know that Before seeing those pictures I wouldn't have thought there was anything wrong with the second machine. The matching in colours and plastic texture is uncanny.

So basically, this is just a warning to be a bit more careful than normal when withdrawing cash from machines. Try to use banks you are familiar with so you are more likely to spot anything odd. I'm certainly going to be avoiding the machines near work and will be using cash back a little more often I think!

(Edited by Sydney 26/11/2004 13:51)