A counterfeit ATM machine was installed on the street and was investigated by the police two days ago. Reporter Lin Azhen of our newspaper took the photo. Whether it is the cash outlet or the card insertion port, the "ATM machine" is so well-made that it can pass for real.
On the evening of June 19th, uninformed passers-by were still using the "ATM machine" when plainclothes policemen went up to dissuade them.
According to reporter Tian Beibei of our newspaper, on June 20th, Beijing police controlled the suspect Huang based on a public tip-off. Huang confessed that before being controlled by the police, he had planned to rent another place to install a fake ATM machine for fraud.
The fake ATM machine conceals a card reader
Video: Fake ATMs on Beijing streets steal bank card information (Source: Beijing TV News Evening Peak)
On March 17th, a media journalist did not withdraw money while using an ATM machine near Handkerchief Bridge labeled as "Hang Seng Bank ATM Machine", but three days later, found that 2100 yuan in his card had disappeared without a trace.
After the police received the report, they discovered that this ATM machine was a counterfeit one. On its glass door, there were also signs such as "24-hour self-service bank service", "image collection area", "do not enter when someone is using", Hang Seng Bank, etc., and the body of the machine also had stickers like UnionPay, Visa, customer service phone number, etc. However, this ATM machine could not withdraw money because there was no cash box behind the machine, only a cardboard box containing a computer.
The police confirmed that a card reader was installed on the computer. After the account holder inserted their bank card into the machine, the card number and password would be "recorded" by the card reader, and the suspect could generate a new card based on the "record".
The police learned that, apart from this journalist, another resident nearby was also defrauded of 5000 yuan by this ATM machine.
Making bank cards in luxury apartments
Through investigation, the police locked down the suspect Huang and found his rented residence at Zun Cui Haoting Apartments near Wangfujing.
At around 6 p.m. on June 20th, the police controlled Huang inside the apartment. In this luxury apartment over 150 square meters, the police uncovered a large amount of unfinished counterfeit bank cards and card readers.
The suspect involved in a case amounting to more than 100,000 yuan
Upon interrogation, Huang, aged 30 and from Jilin, admitted that he couldn't find a job when he came to Beijing several years ago. Later, he discovered that he could deceive people using a card reader. Therefore, he rented a house at Zun Cui Haoting Apartments for 15,000 yuan per month and spent every day making counterfeit bank cards in the room.
Huang claimed that the ATM machine he installed was actually just a card reader. By "recording" with the card reader, he made new cards to carry out fraud. Previously, he also intended to rent another place to set up an ATM machine, but was promptly controlled by the police.
Huang has confessed to being involved in more than 10 cases of suspected fraud using the card reader, involving an amount of more than 100,000 yuan. Currently, Huang has been criminally detained by the police.
■ Follow-up Interview
No unified standard for installing ATM machines
Bank insiders stated that currently, there are no specific mode requirements from relevant national departments regarding the installation of ATM machines, and there is no unified standard for the format of the posted signs on the machine body. Normally, each bank hangs and posts bank names, ATM machine usable bank card symbols such as UnionPay, Visa, customer service phone numbers or prompt signs on the ATM machines installed in their own banks according to their own regulations.
Second-hand ATM machines come from post-sale recovery
A staff member of a certain information company in Shenzhen said that their newly sold ATM machines cost 60,000 to 70,000 yuan. When some malls relocate or replace new ATM machines, the manufacturers will recycle the old ones. If customers have needs, they can purchase these recycled ATM machines at low prices. As for the purpose of the customers' purchase, the manufacturer does not need to understand.
Fake ATM machine fraud process
Installation
Install an ATM machine with a hidden card reader
Card reading
After the account holder inserts the card and enters the password, the card reader records the account holder's information
Replication
The suspect copies the account holder's information from the card reader and makes a new card
Cash-out
The suspect uses the new card to withdraw cash from a real ATM machine
Fake ATMs on Beijing streets steal bank card information (Source: Beijing TV News Evening Peak) Play video