June 18th, 2020 by WCBC Radio
Over the past several weeks numerous members of First Peoples Community Federal Credit Union have had their debit cards compromised and have had monies removed from their accounts by unknown suspects. Investigation by members of the Allegany County Combined Criminal Investigation Unit (C3I) has revealed that the suspects are using "cloned" debit cards to removed cash from ATM machines at various locations.
Investigators believe that the suspects were able to obtain debit card account numbers by utilizing skimmers at ATM locations. With the information obtained via the skimmers, the suspects produce the cloned cards, and then use them to withdraw cash from the victim's accounts thru ATM's, most often occurring on the weekends when the main lobbies are closed at the different locations.
Investigators are advising anyone who is a victim to contact their local law enforcement agency to report the crime.
The investigation is continuing by C3I in cooperation with various other law enforcement agencies throughout the entire northeast United States and the U.S. Secret Service.
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June 18, 2020 at 12:05 pm, mac said:
Why is it not possible to have an employee available to check the ATM at each location, including on weekends?
Wouldn’t it inspire more confidence to know that the ATM is scrutinized on a regular basis?
Now it’s up to the client to notify the authorities in order to reclaim their own money.
Glad I’m not a client.
June 18, 2020 at 1:26 pm, mac said:
Here at XYZ Bank we have regular inspections of our ATM machines to be sure that they have not been tampered with. These inspections also take place during hours that the branches are not open. These are random inspections but there is never any period of more than 12 hours that pass before the next inspection.
How many skimmers would be placed on any machine knowing that this was happening?
June 18, 2020 at 5:52 pm, hollywood said:
Unfortunately Mac, a thief can place a skimmer on almost any device not just the bank’s. No one should ever use a debit card unless it has the VISA logo. I use specific credit cards for specific venues, if the lender doesn’t recognize a transaction, I immediately get a text, works out nicely. Truth is, I still love cash.
June 18, 2020 at 6:14 pm, mac said:
> Yeah, you’re right. I was assuming which was wrong.
But any business that has an ATM should be taught what to look for.
Before I use any ATM I check for add-ons and pull and wiggle at all of the protrusions. But then I’m usually paranoid about those things. Good for me!
June 19, 2020 at 9:44 am, hollywood said:
10-4 on that
June 19, 2020 at 4:18 am, Mark said:
This makes the SECOND time this has happened with First People’s accounts. Why doesn’t this happen with other banks? Or does it and it’s not reported? Or is First People’s just leaving a glaring opening for the scammers because they are too f-ing cheap to fix it? I go with the latter.
June 19, 2020 at 2:30 pm, Willy M said:
I Cant even get them to open up the FREAKING Main doors. They need to get rid
of the dead wood board. All they do is spend money on new cars.