Lloyds TSB urges all customers to change PIN numbers

ATM WARNING: Lloyds TSB has urged its Middle East customers to change their PIN numbers.

Lloyds TSB Middle East on Thursday urged all their customers urgently change the pin numbers of their debit cards amid reports of a major ATM fraud operation in the UAE.

The bank said it had been made aware that a "relatively small number of customers" had so far been affected by fraudulent activity.

A spokesman said: "We advise that customers change their pin numbers immediately. Customers should also be extra vigilant when using ATMs by protecting their PIN numbers and contacting the relevant bank should anything appear unusual at an ATM machine."

He added that all fraudulent transactions would be re-credited to accounts.

Lloyds TSB has also put a stop on some card activity in specific countries and called on customers who are planning to travel abroad to consult the bank for advice.

The warning comes a day after HSBC, Dubai Islamic Bank, Emirates NBD and National Bank of Abu Dhabi said some of their customers had been affected and warned others to change their PIN numbers as a precaution.

HSBC warned customers to be wary when using ATM machines as criminal gangs can place a false card reader on the entry slot of an ATM and a micro-camera above the ATM to read the PIN as it is input.

The information can then be used to manufacture counterfeit cards, known as card skimming.

Card fraud is becoming a growing problem in the UAE, with several high-profile cases coming to light this year.

How has your bank dealt with this crisis? Email the author with your comments.

UAE banks hit by wave of card fraud
UPDATE 1: HSBC warns counterfeit cards are being used to access local accounts from abroad.

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READERS' COMMENTS

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Chip and PIN wouldn't have helped
Posted by Mark Flap on Sunday 14 September 2008 at 08:40 UAE time


It seems from reports in the papers that this was a network intrusion, not ATMs being tampered with, since it seemed to affect every bank. Not much any of the banks could have done about that, the fault is with the payment processor (or whoever) that had such lousy security in place and got hacked.

Chip and PIN / biometrics etc, only stops fraud being committed in the country where it is installed. But you could still clone a UAE card and use it in any other country where they still use magnetic strip cards (the US, for one). Unless every country in the world is using it, it doesn't really help.

ATM Fraud
Posted by RZ, Dubai, UAE on Friday 12 September 2008 at 13:48 UAE time


We have bank accounts with EB NBD, HSBC for over 20 years and not one of us has received an sms from either of the banks to date. Alert? I don't think so!!!

Lloyds Cop Out!!
Posted by bankobserver, London, UK on Thursday 11 September 2008 at 21:49 UAE time


This is a digrace by Lloyds Bank to use the media 2 days afetr they were aware of the threat !

They have not been pro active at all at informing customers of the bank of the need to change the PIN numbers etc.

In fact when I spoke to the card call centre yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon, their advice was that all cards were to be blocked and that new ones will re-issued!! Definitely wires being crossed somewhere!

There is no information on the bank website and they have not in contact with me or any customers that i know of.... The only information that they were pprepared to tell me was that they were monitoring certain accounts according their activity and would sms the account holders if they saw any suspicious activity!

The expression locking a stable door after the horse has left comes to mind!

The attitude in laid back Al Wasel Road opposite Safa Park is definitely one of complacency ! look after your customers rather than pander to your London HO and shareholders! we deserve better here in Dubai!

HSBC ATMs status
Posted by nasir, dubai, UAE on Thursday 11 September 2008 at 17:16 UAE time

just went to the HSBC ATM at media city to change my pin, ironically there was a 5 people queue at each of the 2 ATMs and out of these 10 people 7 were HSBC employees wearing HSBC name collars.

atm fraud
Posted by christine curtis, dubai, uae on Thursday 11 September 2008 at 15:25 UAE time


if i change my pin at an ATM machine who is to say the crooks' gadgets are not there when i do it??
sorry but where is the security in this???
how about the services we pay for each month dear bank??
maybe a security camera from your side would not go amiss????

Check ATMs
Posted by Obelix, Dubai, UAE on Thursday 11 September 2008 at 14:24 UAE time


Considering that staff check the ATMs every day to replenish cash and collect deposits, why aren't they being trained to check the machines for suspicious cameras and card readers ?

Why should the onus of safety be on the end consumer only ? Should the banks not be held accountable for this ?

Banks do have option to deter virtually all fraud crimes.
Posted by Roger Wilson, London, U.K. on Thursday 11 September 2008 at 13:52 UAE time


Fraud crimes will get worse until banks make signature and PIN systems reliable as proposed on website www.xwave.co.uk

Why would anyone get tempted to do identity fraud when they know that their signature personalised with their ID sticker will expose their identity? Current signature system does not even expose person's gender and so boosts identity fraud. Only this system will deter use of fake documents.

Why would anyone get tempted to use stolen or skimmed cards when they know that they will not be able to activate the transaction without new security code which will change to a new value after every transaction?

This system will also eliminate the need for us to protect our personal an card details since fraudsters will not be tempted to misuse these stolen details.

Organisations would make their customers personalise signatures by letting them use mobile phone size device which will capture image and activate printer to print their ID sticker virtually instantly.

Proposed system will deter virtually all fraud crimes including those Chip and PIN, data protection and even biometric ID cards will not deter.

This KEY and PIN system could be treated like international ID card since it will personalise signature and PIN to the right individual in any country in the world.

To protect the public and entire business industry from becoming victims of fraud government and banks should act now and exploit proposed system before it is too late to stop a fraud crunch which will be far worse than credit crunch.

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