STRATEGIC PARTNERS
December 3, 2002
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- A significant number of bank cardholders were apparently victimized in an ATM skimming scam over the Nov. 30 weekend, according to a report in The Provence.
"We've received dozens of calls," said Vancouver Constable Sarah Bloor. "Potentially, there are literally hundreds of victims of this scam."
Steve Wittek told The Provence that when he related the story of his $360 loss at his workplace on Dec. 1, he discovered that two coworkers had had similar experiences.
Daphne Locke, a fellow teacher at the Global Conversation Club in Vancouver, said that $900 had been taken from her TD account. "It was pretty scary -- I had to put my rent check on hold," said Locke, 26. "I've been to the bank, I've been to the police. I've spoken to the police four times."
Bloor said she knew of thefts from the TD and Royal banks, while Wittek had a Bank of Montreal account.
"The bank told me over 100 people got hit over the weekend," Wittek said. "They said there's some sort of machine that they can put on the ATM. The machine can read all the information off your card."
Bank officials seemed reluctant to speak about the fraud, according to The Provence report. "I'm not sure if they have a tally," said the Bank of Montreal's Laurie Grant, the only banking spokeswoman to return calls. "It's an ongoing investigation."
Bloor said police will work with the banks to apprehend the thieves.
"We have to go back to the victims and say, 'Where did it happen? What time?'" Bloor said. "It's quite common for these ATMs to have cameras. The banks will probably have a lot of the evidence we need."
