Depositors alarmed as ATM theft rises sharply

Depositors alarmed as ATM theft rises sharply

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Police records show that between 2010 and the first quarter of 2013, cyber fraud-related losses in banks stood at around Sh9.8 billion ($6.10 million).PHOTO|FILE By Bernard James ,The Citizen Reporter

Posted Saturday, September 6 2014 at 09:42
In Summary
Escalating cybercrime has in recent months become an issue of growing concern in Tanzania as the number of people reportedly hacked rises sharply.

Dar es Salaam. If you hold an account with a local bank and deposit millions of shillings there, you had better watch out. You could well be deceiving yourself that your money is in safe hands just because you know where you have kept your ATM card.

ATM card skimming is so big in Tanzania today that you can at anytime fall victim to cybercrime through ATM withdrawals. According to our sources, the problem is so rife in the country that cybercriminals operating in various parts of the country are now reportedly withdrawing hundreds of millions of shillings from banks countrywide through ATM cards.

The criminals reportedly collude with unscrupulous employees of local banks or IT experts seeking information about ATM card holders and then move from machine to machine drawing as much money as they can.

Latest victims

On August 27, Barnabas Mkwayu received an SMS alert from Standard Chartered Bank that Sh300,000 had been withdrawn from his account. He was dazed. "How can this happen when my ATM card is safe in my wallet?" he asked himself.

Three days later, he went to the bank to draw money over the counter and inquire about the suspicious withdrawal. A bank official told him he could not draw any more as he had reached his Sh2 million weekly maximum withdrawal limit.

As he argued with the official, four other SMS alert trickled in--each indicating that Sh400,000 had been withdrawn from his account in four separate transactions. In a panic, he checked his account only to discover another Sh800,000 was gone. ATM cybercriminals had withdrawn the money from Standard Chartered Bank's ATMs at Masaki Sea Cliff and Oysterbay in two separate attacks. In total, Mr Mkwayu has lost Sh2.7 million.

Another victim, who asked not to be named, lost Sh400,000 in similar circumstances at his CRDB Bank. He was preparing to call it a day at his office in Tabata when he received four SMS alerts showing he had withdrawn all the money in his account. Like, Mr Mkwayu, his ATM card was in his pocket at the time. Although he got back his money, this happened only after nearly two agonising months of going up and down to follow up the case.

The story of these two men represents the frustration and agony of hundreds of bank customers in virtually all local banks who have fallen victim to ATM hackers. Many still struggle to come to terms with the pain of losing millions of shillings in a place they believed to be secure.
Escalating cybercrime has in recent months become an issue of growing concern in Tanzania as the number of people reportedly hacked rises sharply.

Police records show that between 2010 and the first quarter of 2013, cyber fraud-related losses in banks stood at around Sh9.8 billion ($6.10 million).

According to the police cyber crime unit, at least 500 Tanzanians were arrested for fraud between 2011 and 2012. Some 320 people were arrested between July and December 2011 and 230 in 2012 for cybercrime.

Enhanced security features on cards

Yesterday, Standard Chartered Bank acknowledged having received reports of customer cards being compromised but went on to say it has always investigated the cases and assisted the clients affected.

The bank's corporate affairs manager, Mr Beda Biswalo, told The Citizen on Saturday that people ought to know that card skimming has become a general banking industry issue worldwide. "The banking industry is tackling this challenge collectively," he added, including launching an awareness campaign to educate clients on how they can keep their ATM cards safe."

According to the official, the bank has undertaken a massive exercise to enhance security features on its ATM cards. He added: "We have invested in high security ATMs with Anti-skimming Technology. All our ATMs are fitted with CCTV and ATM Pin Shield and are guarded seven days a week." Mr Mesam Rizvi, director and CEO at Technology Associates Tanzania, says the theft has more to do with cash in transit and ATM cards and not the machines. "This is happening all over the world and not only in Tanzania and any ATM machine is exposed to this kind of electronic fraud," he explained. "This is a problem banks face all over the world."

These developments in Tanzania come at a time the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has asked neighbouring Kenya to help arrest a ring of international bank hackers and cyber criminals based in that country. The group, comprising Nigerians, targets banks and has stolen $2.5 billion (Sh4 trillion) from banks and other institutions around the world.

The FBI has named 11 suspects, some of them specialists in ATM card skimming--the illegal copying of information in a card--while three conspire with bank staff to identify accounts with large sums of money.

Banking sources told The Citizen on Saturday that banks have already dished out over Sh900million in compensation for victims of ATM theft.

CC: Tized, Mr Rocky, Elly B, Fixed Point, Power to the People, Jasusi, nguruvi, MANI, tpaul, Bramo, Bulesi Bulldog, Sangarara, MTAZAMO, Erythrocyte, Mag3, Mimibaba, zumbemkuu, Crashwise, amkawewe, Idimi, Ogah, Chakaza, mshana jr, joka Kuu, MWALLA, genekai, PRINCE CROWN, Tuko, Shark, lynxeffect22, samaki2011, MoudyBoka, Jerrymsigwa
adolay, Elli, nyabhingi, S.N.Jilala, MEANDU, Tabby, Candid Scope, August, BONGOLALA, Gefu, Bigirita
 
Duh!!!
But kwa level ya technology tuliyo nayo sasa, sioni kwa nini banks zinashindwa kudhibiti hii kitu.
Ingawa mi sio mtaalamu wa IT lakini nadhani matumizi ya simu ya mkononi yanaweza kusaidia kupunguza. Kwa mfano mtu aweze kulock ATM card yake kupitia simu hadi anapotaka kutoa hela. Au mtu apokee msg kwenye simu yake akitaka kukomand ela itoke kwenye ATM na hadi atakaporeply yes ndio ATM iteme ila.
Lakini pia akaunti ya mtu iwe na sehemu mbili; internet part na smart card part. Ela iliyopo kwenye smart card part iwe tu ndiyo inayoweza kutolewa kwa ATM, na mteja aweze kutransfer ela kutoka kwenye internet part kwenda smart card part akitumia simu ya mkononi (kwa sababu watz wengi hawatumii internet)
 
Katika sehemu ambazo si salama kuhifadhi fedha zako ni bank yani ni sawa na kujifungia kwenye jumba la vioo tupu ukififanya huonekani au uko salama kabisa! hapana umebugi kuna taratifu za kuweka pesa bank kwamba lazima ufungue acc, na katika hilo lazima ujieleze vizuri habari zako zote hapo ndio hujianika na kujiacha uchi kabisa kiasi kwamba kwa tech ya leo mtu akiwa mahiri tu wa IT atapata habari zako zote! unaenda kuhifadhi milion 20 kwa mfano huyo anayekusaidia kuzihifadhi mshahara wake haufiki milion moja kwa mwezi huku anatamani kumiliki smartphone altezza flat screen nk...wizi huanzia hapo
 
Tuko said:
Duh!!!
But kwa level ya technology tuliyo nayo sasa, sioni kwa nini banks zinashindwa kudhibiti hii kitu.
Ingawa mi sio mtaalamu wa IT lakini nadhani matumizi ya simu ya mkononi yanaweza kusaidia kupunguza. Kwa mfano mtu aweze kulock ATM card yake kupitia simu hadi anapotaka kutoa hela. Au mtu apokee msg kwenye simu yake akitaka kukomand ela itoke kwenye ATM na hadi atakaporeply yes ndio ATM iteme ila.
Lakini pia akaunti ya mtu iwe na sehemu mbili; internet part na smart card part. Ela iliyopo kwenye smart card part iwe tu ndiyo inayoweza kutolewa kwa ATM, na mteja aweze kutransfer ela kutoka kwenye internet part kwenda smart card part akitumia simu ya mkononi (kwa sababu watz wengi hawatumii internet)
Click to expand...

TAHADHARI: Mara nyingine cybercriminals hawaanzii pale benki wanaanzia kwenye tamaa zetu, wanatuuliza identifications, passwords, etc, kupitia iternet, mitandao ya kijamii, n.k. hasa kwenye mambo ya sweepstakes, na rotaries. Isitoshe wanaoiba wamesomea IT deeper than bankers.
 
Wafanyakazi wa benki ndio wahusika wakubwa kwenye wizi wa aina hii. Nilishaibiwa pesa kutoka kwenye ATM bahati yangu sikuwapo tz na ushahidi nilikuwa nao. Cha kushangaza zaidi cctv haikuwa inafanya kazi wakati huyo mwizi akiiba. Sidhani kama mwizi anaweza temper na security cameras za bank bila usaidizi wa bank employees.
 
Tuko said:
Duh!!!
But kwa level ya technology tuliyo nayo sasa, sioni kwa nini banks zinashindwa kudhibiti hii kitu.
Ingawa mi sio mtaalamu wa IT lakini nadhani matumizi ya simu ya mkononi yanaweza kusaidia kupunguza. Kwa mfano mtu aweze kulock ATM card yake kupitia simu hadi anapotaka kutoa hela. Au mtu apokee msg kwenye simu yake akitaka kukomand ela itoke kwenye ATM na hadi atakaporeply yes ndio ATM iteme ila.
Lakini pia akaunti ya mtu iwe na sehemu mbili; internet part na smart card part. Ela iliyopo kwenye smart card part iwe tu ndiyo inayoweza kutolewa kwa ATM, na mteja aweze kutransfer ela kutoka kwenye internet part kwenda smart card part akitumia simu ya mkononi (kwa sababu watz wengi hawatumii internet)
Click to expand...

Utaongeza tatizo Kubwa mno...
 
Nzowa Godat said:
TAHADHARI: Mara nyingine cybercriminals hawaanzii pale benki wanaanzia kwenye tamaa zetu, wanatuuliza identifications, passwords, etc, kupitia iternet, mitandao ya kijamii, n.k. hasa kwenye mambo ya sweepstakes, na rotaries. Isitoshe wanaoiba wamesomea IT deeper than bankers.
Click to expand...

Pamoja na ukweli wa wizi huu kutamalaki lakini nakubaliana nawewe idadi kubwa inawezeshwa na tamaa za kupata fedha nyingi bila jasho kwa walengwa.

Wengi wentu huuingizwa mtegoni kwasabab tu tunataka utajiri wa bure, tunadanganywa na kutoa taarifa zetu zote za kibenki kupitia mitatndao ya kijamii, hata e-mails zetu hususan junk mails.

Ninamifano kadhaa, jamaa zangu wakirubuniwa kutowa data zao kwa marafiki na nimewakatalia katakata wasitowe taarifa zao za kibenki wakitaraji kunufaika wataibiwa.

Yatupasa kuwa makini sana, na mtu akiibiwa hatasema kama alitowa taarifa zake kwa wasioeleweka anabaki kulia na kuilaumu bank husika.

Nikweli utapeli umekomaa na mabenki lazima yatafute njia sahihi na thabiti kulinda hifadhi za fedha kwa wateja wao.
 
Nikirudi nyuma kidogo wakati flani nikipita shinyanga, niliibiwa japo fedha kiasi kidogo.

Hili liliwezekana kwa tapeli kushilikiana na mfanyakazi wa benki, niligunduwa upuuzi ule baada ya muda flani maana nilikuwa na transfer fedha kwa malipo ya business flani kutoka Morogoro kuja Shinyanga, nikapigwa kimtindo iliniuma sana.

Wafanyakazi wa mabenki ni key player kwenye wizi wa fedha, either kupitia ATM, Direct attach planing nk. mimi siwaamini kabisa lakini hujikuta kuenenda hivyo hivyo kirisk risk maana huwa sina alternatives.
 
These losses are huge the responsible government agencies should intervene in collaboration with the banks.
1. Improve Banking security standards including changeover to chip card technology using global stardards like EMV
2. The banks should be forced to improve their surveillance system - to be analytics and decision making alerts on real time bases.
3. Create or enhance customers or public awareness on ways to curb ATM skimming
4. Stop corruption - as it seems to be one of the hindrance in addressing the menance.
 
Tarehe 15 August saa 12 Asubuhi nimeibiwa laki 700,000/= kwa ATM ya NMB mtu akiwa Mbulu wakati me nipo Dar nimelala na kadi ipo kwenye draw ime-expire,kilichonishtua ni NMB MOBILE!!!!

Nikawafuata NMB wakaanza longo longo,oh mara huenda ni ndugu yangu,blah blah kibao,nimekomaa nao Sasa wanasema fraud unit yao na Police wanafuatilia na mfanya kazi wao Mbulu ni prime suspect,nivute subira!!!
 
Sijui nirudie ile tabia yangu ya zamani ya kuhifadhi hela uvunguni?
 
Tuko said:
Duh!!!
But kwa level ya technology tuliyo nayo sasa, sioni kwa nini banks zinashindwa kudhibiti hii kitu.
Ingawa mi sio mtaalamu wa IT lakini nadhani matumizi ya simu ya mkononi yanaweza kusaidia kupunguza. Kwa mfano mtu aweze kulock ATM card yake kupitia simu hadi anapotaka kutoa hela. Au mtu apokee msg kwenye simu yake akitaka kukomand ela itoke kwenye ATM na hadi atakaporeply yes ndio ATM iteme ila.
Lakini pia akaunti ya mtu iwe na sehemu mbili; internet part na smart card part. Ela iliyopo kwenye smart card part iwe tu ndiyo inayoweza kutolewa kwa ATM, na mteja aweze kutransfer ela kutoka kwenye internet part kwenda smart card part akitumia simu ya mkononi (kwa sababu watz wengi hawatumii internet)
Click to expand...

hili wazo zuri sana, nadhani hii benki itakayofanya hivi itakomba wateja sana
 
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