News

Australia piloting card skimming database

March 14, 2004

SYDNEY - Millions of Australians who hold credit and ATM/debit cards will be better protected from card skimming after the recent launch of the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) National Card Skimming Database pilot by the Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator Chris Ellison.

The database, the first of its type in the Asia-Pacific region, will boost the ability of law enforcement agencies to detect and stop card skimming by storing and making available details of skimmed cards and how and where cards are being skimmed, according to a news release.

"This database will help identify organized gangs that are committing card skimming crimes," Senator Ellison said in the release.

The ACC believes gangs are ripping off up to $100 million per year from the Australian public. According to the commission, card skimming is one of the fastest-growing financial scams in Australia, representing at least 50 percent of all credit card fraud (up from five percent in 2002).

The Card Skimming Database was developed in partnership with a number of financial institutions, including Visa, American Express, the Commonwealth Bank, the ANZ Bank, the National Australia Bank, St George and Westpac.

The pilot will initially run until the end of May 2004 to gather intelligence and enable improved exchange and analysis of card skimming information between the ACC and the financial sector.

Alastair Milroy, ACC's chief executive, said the database will also help in identifying cards skimmed overseas and used in Australia.

The pilot's participating banks ensure that their customer information is protected, and only deal with law enforcement in accordance with the National Privacy Principles, Privacy Act and other relevant legislation, according to the release.

The database builds on a number of other initiatives already underway to tackle card skimming, including a special ACC intelligence operation launched in September 2003, a national response to card skimming endorsed by States and Territories last July and an ID taskforce chaired by the Australian Federal Police to probe identity-related crime.