(PRLEAP.COM) EDINBURGH, UK NOVEMBER 2007
Members of EAST (European ATM Security Team) have welcomed the latest European ATM Crime report showing that across Europe as a whole, ATM fraud has dipped by 55% thanks to ‘chip n pin’/EMV technology. However, incidents continue to be reported where skimmed data is used by criminals in countries where all ATMs are not yet EMV compliant.
Concern was expressed that criminals were turning to physical attacks on ATMs, which have risen by 60%, particularly as this often involved attacks on people replenishing the machines. In addition to the potential human cost, the damage by a determined ram raider can far exceed the average loss in an ATM fraud case.
EAST co-ordinator, Lachlan Gunn said, "While we deplore the rise in violence that has accompanied the fall in ATM fraud, EAST members, who supplied national data and statistics which fed into the EAST European ATM crime report, are exchanging security best practice on a country by country basis. And through EAST, they are working with law enforcement and other crime fighting bodies in a co-ordinated effort to drive down both ATM fraud and physical attacks on ATMs in Europe. By using EAST to combine data on a Europe-wide basis we are picking up ATM security trends and seeing where best to channel resources in the on-going fight against crime, particularly to counter criminals operating across national borders."
# EMV is an industry standard for Smart Cards and card readers, supported by the payment schemes.
See the full report at www.eas-team.eu/crime.htm
ENDS
(Background data on the report & EAST follow)
For further information please contact the EAST Co-ordinator, Lachlan Gunn:
Email coordinator@eas-team.eu Tel: + 44 1828 686344, Fax: + 44 1828 686888 or visit www.eas-team.eu
EUROPEAN ATM CRIME REPORT 2007, Period: January to June 2007
The above release is based on a report (www.eas-team.eu/crime.htm) prepared twice-yearly by EAST to provide an overview of the European ATM crime situation for law enforcement officers and EAST members, using statistics provided from 19 European states. The following countries, with an estimated total installed base of 332,277 ATMs, supplied full or partial information for this report:
Austria; Belgium; Cyprus; Denmark; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Ireland; Italy; Luxembourg; Malta; the Netherlands; Poland, Portugal; Slovakia; Spain; Switzerland; the United Kingdom.
EAST intends to obtain such information from all 27 European Union states as well as from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
EAST has taken reasonable measures to develop the report this press release is based on and to report in a fair, reasonable, open, and objective manner. However, EAST makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the completeness of the underlying data. In addition, as the information in the report has been passed to EAST by other parties, errors or mistakes may exist or be discovered. Neither EAST nor its members, authors, or agents shall be liable for any loss, damage, or claim with respect to any such information being provided. All such liabilities, including direct, special, indirect, or consequential damages, are expressly disclaimed and excluded.
ABOUT EAST
Founded in 2004, EAST is a ‘not-for-profit’ organisation whose members are committed to gathering information from, and disseminating EAST reports to ATM deployers and networks within their countries/regions. While the main focus of EAST is on ATMs, the group also focuses on all payment terminals that have a direct impact on crime perpetrated at ATM locations.
Our mission is to gather and provide information to the European ATM industry and to facilitate effective representation of ATM related security issues at relevant European central institutions, through a pan-European co-ordination of ATM security resources.
EAST has set up a framework network structure to improve co-operation with industry, law enforcement, and in particular Europol, in order to achieve awareness and better results in the fight against organised cross-border crime.