ATM / debit card fraud (skimming) in Thailand

This happens all over the world, including Thailand, but it is easily preventable.
Number one trick - try to use ATMs in supermarkets or other places with lots of security. It's far harder for a skimmer to be installed in places like that.
Next up - the banks and police in many countries have little idea about this type of crime. I found one in Central Java, reporting it to the bank and police, but they said it was impossible, so dismissed my warning, well they did for two days, when a big skimming ring was arrested on Bali and the news was in all the papers.

Many gangs operate in tourist areas, knowing a hit will bag them more cash that locals tend to have, so take special care in such places.

There are two ways they copy your card:

1 - They conduct a transaction in a retail outlet of whatever sort, and run your card through a second reader under the counter. If your card disappears out of your sight, even for a second or two, cancel the transaction, refusing to enter your PIN into their machine as there could well be a camera pointing at it.

2 - Card skimmers on ATMs.
These are normally easy to sport as they require an add on to the ATM machine, but many people have no clue what they look like.



There are many types, but all require something over the card slot, so just don't use a machine that doesn't look right.
It should be noted, the thieves are going to great lengths to copy the parts of real ATMs, making their devices look far more real than the older ones, so it isn't always your fault if you become a victim.
Watch out for mismatched colours, stickers that don't quite match the bank's own stuff, or anything that doesn't match other machines from that bank.
With the ATM skimmers, they must still have your number, and that commonly requires a camera. That's easy to beat by making sure you cover the keypad with your hand. I totally cover the pad, using tough to identify the correct keys.



However, the new generation of thieves is getting more with it, so new ways to get your number have been developed.



This short clip is worth a watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYMUA8umUz8

As explained previously, there are many gangs in Thailand, many of different nationalities, advice is to get cash from shopping mall or ATM inside bank, everything can be paid by cash in this country, it is the way people live.

I am living here and honestly I have never used my card to pay not even a restaurant or Tesco, or Big C, others payment are done by bank transfers, I just need cash to live in, now if you need to pay online be careful about the website, if it is to buy an airline ticket from the airline company website it is ok, there even have some waiter skimming card with small machine you can't even see and the direction was not aware, gang is like mafia they are everywhere...

In many places in Thailand you can pay by card and just sign no need to type in your pin number, like petrol station and even some shops, which make things more easy... police are aware of this but as usual difficult to deal with this kind of crime, gang, mafia, link to many ring overseas, you will see in the press many have been arrested but it is always the small one they have arrested and business about skimming card continue....