The practice of ‘card-skimming' involves the unauthorised copying of information from a customer's ATM card. This facilitates the criminal in stealing by using illegally obtained data.
An Garda Síochána has noted a recent increase in this type of criminality and a Working Group chaired by the Assistant Commissioner with responsibility for the Dublin Metropolitan Region has been established to target this type of crime. The increase is also being addressed by security measures introduced by the financial institutions together with increased Garda attention to ATM machines nationwide. Incidents of so-called ‘skimming' are reported to the Irish Payment Card Services Organisation (IPSO) by the relevant financial institutions as soon as fraud is established. This in turn is reported to and circulated by An Garda Síochána. A nationwide roll-out of a Garda initiative targeting these crimes is planned for 2008.
An Garda Síochána is in constant liaison with the financial institutions with a view to tackling ATM fraud. This is being targeted through various fora, including bi-monthly meetings of the ATM Fraud Forum comprising representatives from the various financial institutions and An Garda Síochána, and is chaired by the Irish Payment Card Services Organisation (IPSO).
This type of criminal activity is also addressed through the Hi-Tech Crime Forum which comprises representatives of the banking institutions, the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, the Internet Service Providers, IPSO and other stakeholders as deemed appropriate. This forum meets every two months.
Any perceived weaknesses or new attack methods identified are discussed at these meetings so that counter-measures can be identified to prevent further occurrences.
The following table shows the number of such incidents recorded as having occurred in Carlow/ Kildare Division:
Year
|
No of incidents (Carlow/Kildare Division)
|
2007*
|
212
|
2006
|
32
|
2005
|
4
|
*Statistics provided for 2007 are operational, provisional and liable to change.