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ATMIA publishes ram-raid prevention manual, launches forum

July 25, 2006

BROOKINGS, S.D. - The ATM Industry Association has published international best practices for preventing ATM ram raids, also known as smash-and-grabs. And, according to a news release, the association's Global ATM Security Alliance has launched an online ram-raid information-sharing forum that security practitioners in the industry may use to share crime trends, success stories and solutions.

Ram-raid attacks aim to remove an ATM from its premises to subsequently break open the safe and remove the cash. Although no hard international data is available on the number of ram raid attacks, just less than one quarter of all ATM crimes recorded on the association's crime-data management system, Cognito, are classified as "ram raids."

GASA contains more than 4,400 recorded crimes. It also holds a fraud-reference library and offers a real-time global-fraud alert system. Free links to Fair Isaac's international Fraud Forum also are provided.

"We got calls from some of our members in countries from as far afield as Australia and America asking for information about ram raids," said ATMIA chief executive Mike Lee. "It seems it has become a major kind of ATM crime."

The Best Practices for Preventing Ram Raids manual covers physical security for stand-alone, through-the-wall and off-premise/street-based ATMs. There also is a section dedicated to success stories about security technologies and strategies - such as GPS devices, CCTV, banknote-degradation systems, antilasso devices, bollards, ATM plinths, bolted chains, alarms, flashing/warning lights and enhanced anchoring - that have led to noticeable reductions in ram raids.

For more information, contact Mike Lee.

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ATM Industry Association (ATMIA)

The ATM Industry Association, founded in 1997, is a global non-profit trade association with over 10,500 members in 65 countries. The membership base covers the full range of this worldwide industry comprising over 2.2 million installed ATMs.

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