ALEXANDRIA, Va., & JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- In a joint issuance, two trade associations have produced a guide to help retailers reduce criminal skimming at ATMs, the organizations announced.
In preparation for Purchase, N.Y.-based MasterCard’s October 2016 EMV liability-shift date for ATMs, the ATM Skimming Detection & Deterrence Guide will help retailers identify and act upon suspected criminal activity, with fraud projected to increase as data thieves see their opportunities diminish with increased implementation of Euorpay MasterCard Visa (EMV) standards.
“Other countries migrating to chip cards have already experienced near-term spikes in card fraud, as the window closes on use of fraudulently obtained magnetic-strip data,” said Gray Taylor, executive director of Conexxus, Alexandria, Va., which along with the National ATM Council (NAC), Jacksonville, Fla., produced the guide. “Our guide will help c-store personnel and retail ATM providers ‘up their game’ to protect customers’ card data in advance of MasterCard’s ATM EMV liability shift this October.”
The practice of tampering with ATMs using devices such as micro cameras or bogus card readers has fallen under the industry term of skimming, which NAC has found to occur less at c-stores than at traditional banks. Recently announced survey results from NAC show that skimming of card data has been “virtually nonexistent at U.S. retail ATMs,” according to a Conexxus statement. It said that retail ATMs are typically under constant surveillance from store personnel and store patrons. In contrast, ATMs on the exteriors of bank buildings or in stand-alone, walk- or drive-up bank ATMs are unattended.
“NAC is especially pleased to team with Conexxus in creating this new and valuable tool for America’s convenience-store owners and retail ATM operators to help protect our mutual customers’ card information during the EMV transition,” said Bruce Renard, executive director of NAC. “The guide is an excellent and concise hands-on resource, with user-friendly and practical information that c-store personnel and ATM providers can utilize in their daily operations, as an added layer of protection for their customers’ card information.”
Conexxus is a nonprofit technology organization dedicated to the development and implementation of standards, technologies innovation and advocacy for the convenience store and motor fuels market.
The National ATM Council is a not-for-profit, national trade association representing the business interests of ATM owners, operators and suppliers.
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