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EAST releases midyear ATM fraud stats for Europe

July 25, 2013

ATM-related fraud losses continue to migrate away from EMV chip liability shift areas, and the U.S. continues to be the top location for such losses, according to the newly published 2013 European Fraud Update by the European ATM Security Team.

The second 2013 report tracks ATM crime statistics as provided by 23 member countries from January through May. According to the latest report, after the U.S., the greatest number of fraud losses originate in the Dominican Republic, Brazil and Thailand.

The trend toward regional card blocking continues to grow among European countries as card issuers seek to prevent unauthorized use of payment cards outside of EMV Chip liability shift areas. Thirteen countries now report the use of some form of Geo-blocking by card issuers.

Sixteen EAST countries reported skimming at ATMs. Four countries reported increases in this crime while 10 reported decreases. 

A trend initially reported in the year's first EAST update continues: Skimming gangs are targeting European cardholders abroad, typically when they are vacationing in Latin America or Asia-Pacific.

Because the cards are unblocked for use in the cardholder's destination country, fraudsters are able to manufacture counterfeit cards and use them while the legitimate cardholder is still on holiday.

Eighteen EAST nations reported cash trapping incidents. Use of a "cash claw" in these attacks appears to dwindling, while the use of glue-traps has been seen for the first time. Ten countries reported transaction reversal fraud incidents, for which the cash claw is still widely used. EAST has also created a new definition for TRF.

Ram raids and ATM burglary were reported by nine countries. Seven countries reported explosive gas attacks — one country for the first time.

Read more about trends and statistics.