Protecting ATMs against Skimmers

The community is also considering installing devices that jam wireless signals in areas near ATM machines, to prevent stolen information from being relayed wirelessly, he said.

Stickers will help ATM users determine which machine has been protected.

Skimming techniques have been in use for the past few years, though it has become more difficult to come up with protective measures due to fast-developing technology.

However, he said, educated users should be able to protect themselves because they know about the tricks being used by scammers.

On Monday, the Thai Bankers' Association issued a statement saying that they would consider compensating victims on a case-by-case basis, but would be completely responsible if victims can prove that they were not at fault.

In Chumphon, three commercial banks yesterday agreed in principle to pay money to victims who have lost money through skimming after an investigation proved that their cash had been stolen, not lost through carelessness.

The Bangkok Bank branch said its decision would soon make a final decision and make payments from March 23 onwards.

Kasikorn Thai and Thai Military Banks have not coordindated with the provincial authority's taskforce in Chumphon about the conditions and the date of payments, senior provincial official Suthin Phayak said. "We expect that they have contacted their victims and made personal agreements."

Police in Chumphon's Lang Suan district said they were going after four more suspects, all part of a Malaysian ring led by a man called Teo Puex Heng.

So far, 15 victims have registered with Lang Suan police, who police say have made agreements with the three commercial banks. In Chumphon, around Bt3 million has been stolen so far.

Police had earlier said the racketeers had stolen around Bt50 million from victims in Surat Thani, Phetchaburi, Trang, Krabi, and Songkhla over the past five months.

The graphic shows how the skimmers attach skimming equipment to ATM machines. (Click at the photo to see the graphic.)