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.
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