Skimmer on HSBC ATM in PV Airport

Posted by John McNamee on January 28, 2011, 3:35 pm
187.146.80.14

When I went to Melaque this morning to get money using my debit card (which had worked perfectly at the HSBC ATM at the PV airport when I arrived on January 13) I got the message that my account did not exist. No matter how often and for how many pesos I entered I got the same response. I called my bank back in Canada when I got home and found out that a skimmer was in use on this ATM and they had (thankfully) cancelled my card. A skimmer is a little plastic insert which can be placed in the slot in the ATM and is almost invisible. It can transmit information to someone on a laptop in the terminal who then has both your card number and your pin number. Presto, they have complete access to your account just by making up a bogus card and imprinting the information on it. Luckily for me I didn't have enough money left after the withdrawal at the airport to make it worthwhile to use it (it would be more profitable now, however). Also luckily my bank somehow knew about this soon enough to cancel my card before it was used. If you used that machine around that date I think you would wise to check your account and/or phone your bank to see if your card has been compromised.

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