Travel Safety Alert - Credit Card Fraud on Rise

Far be it from me to spread panic - but users of credit and debit cards in shops and at ATMs should be aware that related crime seems to be on the rise in Ireland. In a recent development around one million Euro were stolen from unsuspecting customers through cloned credit cards. This fraud was achieved with the help of shop workers who "shoulder-surfed" for PINs. Other developments include ever more sophisticated skimming methods and the blatant use of child thieves.

The recent theft of a million Euros was facilitated by retail staff it seems - when customers handed over their credit cards for payment, the cards were cloned and then returned to the customers. All that was missing was the PIN. Which staff easily obtained by closely observing the customer. This is now apparently nicknamed "shoulder surfing". A few days later the accounts were literally plundered, often from ATMs in Southern Europe. While this might reinforce stereotypical views of crime prevalence in sunnier climates it should not be forgotten that organized Irish crime has a powerbase in Spain. So it might not be a simple case of "those dastardly foreigners".

Apart from the time-honored method of converting ATMs with criminal intend, some gangs have also managed to successfully involve children in stealing at those "hole in the walls". This usually involves one gang member brandishing a newspaper into the face of the customer while a small child sneaks up to the ATM and removes the money. The customer is then left wondering why the transaction was (apparently) terminated, tries again and is none the wiser until checking the account statements.

For some more information on safe travel, check out my section of safety tips for tourists in Ireland.