Cash trapping scam: The rising threat to everyday ATM users
Cash trapping is one method used by fraudsters who illegally modify ATMs. Anyone who withdraws cash is, therefore, at risk. Cash trapping involves modifying the cash slot so that the notes do not reach the user's hand but instead go into a special compartment.
This method allows fraudsters to acquire the banknotes the user intended to withdraw. It's virtually impossible to prevent this fraud, as it's difficult to determine at first glance whether the ATM has been tampered with. Similarly, users usually cannot notice if a machine has been fitted with a skimmer, which illegally reads keystrokes and card information.
As the English term indicates, cash trapping is a scam involving "trapping" cash inside the machine. Thanks to altering the slot where the notes are dispensed, the money goes into a prepared compartment. Even though the cash does not reach the client's hand, from the perspective of the software and the ATM, the transaction is considered successful because the money disappears through the slot from which it is supposed to be dispensed. As a result, the amount is deducted from the bank client's account as usual.
Cash trapping - how to behave?
If a user falls victim to this process, the most important thing is to stay calm, do not leave the ATM, and contact the ATM operator's technical support using publicly available phone numbers. You can expect that when the appropriate technician arrives, the money will be physically recovered from the machine, and the bank will manage the entire process appropriately so that the client is not disadvantaged.
However, it might be impossible if you leave the machine. It is critical not to mistakenly assume that the money was not dispensed due to an error and that the amount was not deducted from the account. The fraudster is most likely observing the ATM from a close distance and waiting for the moment to take the cash physically.
