Police and Banks have highlighted a rising scam across our region. Organised Crime Groups (OCG) are using a tactic called “cash trapping” to steal your money directly from ATMs.
Here is how it works, what to look out for, and what to do if it happens to you:
How the Scam Works
- You insert your card and enter your PIN as normal.
- The machine returns your bank card, but no cash comes out.
- You check your banking app and see the money has been deducted from your account.
Criminals have glued a fake, realistic-looking slot cover, or “plate” over the cash dispenser. Your money is physically trapped inside the slot behind this plate. The scammers wait nearby and will return to pry the plate off and collect YOUR cash once you walk away.
10 second rule:- Physically check the machine before you use it:
- The Cash Slot: Look closely at where the money comes out. Does it look glued, misaligned, or have a strange plastic strip over it? Give it a firm tug. If it moves or feels loose, please contact 101 and your bank to cancel your card in case it has been compromised.
- The Card Reader: Wiggle the card slot. If it feels bulky or loose, a “skimmer” may be attached to copy your card’s data.
- The Keypad: Feel the keys. If the keypad feels unusually thick, spongy, or raised, a fake overlay might be trapped on top to record your PIN.
- Hidden Cameras: Check the plastic casing directly above the keypad or screen. Criminals hide tiny pinhole cameras here to film you entering your PIN. Always shield your PIN with your hand when typing!
Please contact your Calderdale Crime Prevention Officers on calderdalecpo@westyorkshire.police.uk if you require any further advice.