Further warnings after more details revealed of Dacorum ATM fraud

Hertfordshire Constabulary has issued more warnings to residents following a spate of bank card thefts.

Last month, there were reports that bank cards were retained by ATMs and cash had later been withdrawn from accounts after the loss of the card.

The police, who have worked on investigating these offences with the banking industry, say that in each of the reported thefts the card machines retained the victim’s bank card due to a discreet device which had been placed over the card slot of the machine.

Detective Sergeant Mark Fava, from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Serious Fraud and Cyber Unit, said: “Initially it was thought that the device was scanning the cards and then transmitting the details and PIN to the offender.”

DS Fava said: “ However, in each case, it appears that the offender, or accomplice, has watched the victim input the PIN and then retrieved the trapped card. The offender has then later used the stolen card and PIN at another ATM.”

Hertfordshire Police say that the best way to avoid this happening is to cancel or suspend your bank card if it is retained by an ATM.

Residents are told to freeze their cards temporarily on a banking app to establish what has happened.

Alternatively, call the bank to cancel or suspend the card until it has been recovered.

The police is also advising the public to take the usual precautions when withdrawing cash.

People are told to always look closely at the card insertion point of a cash machine before using it. If it looks like it may have been tampered with, do not use it.

Call your bank if you realise the machine has been tampered with after you have inserted your card.

Always shield your hand when entering your PIN into a cash point keypad.

If the machine retains your card or fails to dispense cash you have withdrawn, without a suitable explanation message on the screen, contact your bank immediately and then police on our non-emergency number 101.