| I met a charismatic gent on FOX and Friends named | | | | is a micro-camera placed somewhere on the machine, |
| Sean Seibel. Sean has a unique job title at Microsoft: | | | | where it records the user's PIN. The camera is often |
| User Experience Evangelist. Sean's job is to be on top | | | | installed in a false brochure holder that taped to the |
| of what's new and what's next in technology, in the | | | | ATM. |
| next 5-7 years. He's a futurist. He and I spoke in the | | | | In this case, it was behind a small mirror that alerts the |
| green room of the show before we appeared | | | | ATM user to beware of "shoulder surfers." Sean went |
| together on a segment regarding ATM skimming. ATM | | | | back to the still operational ATM, where people were |
| skimming often results in forms of identity theft, credit | | | | waiting in line for their cash, and noticed a tiny video |
| card fraud or bank fraud. To be a User Experience | | | | camera behind an extra mirror attached to the |
| Evangelist requires a certain vision, insight and the | | | | machine, positioned right over the key pad where it |
| ability to go beyond what's current or obvious. Sean | | | | could record user's PINs. Not being a bank employee |
| proved his ability to see "more" by trumping a gang of | | | | and not wanting to alarm any of the people iwaiting, he |
| identity thieves who set out to steal millions from | | | | actually got in line, waited his turn (knowing that the |
| ATMs but "only" got away with $500,000. Sean | | | | skimmer was gone and nobody was in danger) and |
| stopped at an ATM to get some cash to pay his | | | | pulled the camera off the ATM. He brought the |
| barber. When he inserted his ATM card in the machine, | | | | camera to the bank manager, who replied by saying, |
| he noticed a bit of resistance. Most people wouldn't | | | | "Maybe we should shut that machine down, huh?" |
| think twice about this. But Sean doesn't think like most | | | | Sean said, "I think that's a good idea." The bank |
| people. Then the screen said the machine was unable | | | | manager contacted bank security, shut down the |
| to read his card so he tried again. The second time, | | | | machine and alerted other area banks. The identity |
| the machine gave him an error message. Before he | | | | thieves netted $500,000 from their scam, rather than |
| tried again, he thought about a report he had heard | | | | the millions they might have stolen had Sean Seibel not |
| about devices that fraudsters attach to the outside of | | | | foiled their operation. |
| card readers on ATM machines and wondered if that | | | | Bank branch manager...ZERO; Identity |
| was the source of his problem. | | | | Thieves...$500,000; Sean Seibel foiling their operation |
| He says, "I'm looking at the thing and thinking, this can't | | | | and becoming a hero to many....Priceless! Skimming has |
| be. No way. There are all these stories and myths | | | | been and will continue to be the most common type of |
| about it, but I actually found one in the wild." Sean was | | | | ATM-related fraud. Criminals attach skimming devices |
| face to face with an ATM skimmer, one that he had | | | | over card slots on ATMs to steal data as the machine |
| just swiped his card through. His heart started | | | | reads the card's magnetic strip. Hidden cameras |
| pounding. Adrenalin was rushing through his body. He | | | | record victims typing in their PIN codes. More |
| was concerned, not just that he might be scammed, | | | | sophisticated criminals use wireless keypad overlays, |
| but that criminals might be very close by, maybe even | | | | which transmit PINs to a nearby laptop, instead of |
| behind him or watching him. However, that did not | | | | cameras. The U.S. Secret Service estimates that |
| deter him. Sean says, "I tried to pull on the green plastic | | | | annual losses from ATM skimming total about $1 billion |
| surrounding the card slot and found that it peeled right | | | | each year, or $350,000 a day. Bank ATMs are more |
| off." This plastic ATM skimmer had an SD card built | | | | vulnerable than standalone ATMs. Standalone ATMs in |
| into it to store all the stolen data. Sean went into the | | | | grocery stores or on the street use technology that |
| bank and notified the branch manager, who had never | | | | encrypts the PIN pad, making them more difficult for |
| seen an ATM skimmer and didn't know what to do. | | | | criminals to hack. Standalone ATMs are often |
| She took the skimmer and thanked Sean. Then Sean | | | | positioned near the watchful eye of cashiers or store |
| remembered, from numerous reports about ATM | | | | owners, so it's harder to install skimmers without being |
| skimming, that there are usually 2 parts to the ATM | | | | caught. Bank ATMs are also more highly trafficked, |
| skimmer. One is the skimming device itself, the second | | | | which means a bigger potential payoff for the criminals. |