The European ATM Security Team today released its bi-annual report providing an overview of the European ATM crime situation. The report shows a 69 percent increase in ATM related fraud attacks, primarily driven by a surge in reported cash trapping activity across 11 countries.

Total incidents increased from 6,649 in the first six months of 2010, to 11,220 for the first six months of 2011 (of which 6,756 were due to cash trapping).

During a cash trapping attack, criminals prevent cash from a genuine transaction being dispensed – and then remove it when the cardholder has left the ATM. Over the same period, incidences of card skimming fell by 33 percent to the lowest level since 2008.

Losses due to ATM-related fraud attacks have fallen by 28 percent from €144 million to €112 million. This fall is driven by a continued reduction in losses due to card skimming attacks, which fell 22 percent from €143 million to €111 million.

"While there has been a significant surge in cash trapping activity, related losses were less than €0.5million, or just 0.4 percent of total reported fraud related losses. While some cash trapping losses may not have been reported, criminals are limited to actual customer withdrawal amounts for this form of attack. The increase in cash trapping activity almost certainly reflects the success of European ATM deployers and card issuers in tackling skimming related crime, for which reported losses have fallen for the past seven reporting periods," said EAST Director and Coordinator Lachlan Gunn.

The majority, 77 percent, of ATM-related card skimming losses continue to be international, with most occurring in countries outside of Europe. The risk of counterfeit EMV cards being used to withdraw cash fraudulently from ATMs in parts of the world that are not EMV compliant remains high and is leading some European card issuers to implement additional security measures such as regional card blocking.

Physical attacks on European ATMs have fallen by 21 percent when compared with the first six months of 2010 (down from 1,087 to 857 incidents). Despite this fall in the overall number of incidents the number of reported explosive and gas attacks (219) has gone up for the third successive reporting period, and is up 90 percent when compared to the first six months of 2010. Overall losses fell 13 percent to €14 million (down from €16 million for the first 6 months of 2010).

The following countries, with an estimated total installed base of 385,457 ATMs, supplied full or partial information for the report: Austria; Belgium; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Ireland; Italy; Liechtenstein; Luxembourg; the Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Slovakia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; the United Kingdom.

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