ATM Skimmer and Hidden Camera Scam by SMS

How it looks by SMS, the red flags and what to do.

A text message is the cheapest way for a scammer to reach thousands of phones at once, and the sender name can look like a bank, a courier or a government office. ATM Skimmer and Hidden Camera Scam is one of the ways this shows up: A hidden reader on an ATM slot copies your card, and a tiny camera records your PIN. Your account is then drained with a cloned card.

What atm skimmer and hidden camera scam looks like by SMS

• A sender name that resembles a bank, courier, tax or utility, or an ordinary mobile number.
• A very short message with a deadline such as "today" or "within 24 hours".
• A shortened or oddly spelled link that does not match the real website.

Criminals fit a device over the card slot of an ATM, often at a quiet location or one that is rarely checked. It looks like a part of the machine and fits tightly. A tiny camera in a leaflet holder, a light bar or a false panel above the keypad records the hand movements when you type the PIN.

Red flags to check on the text message

• The card slot looks bulky, loose or different in colour.
• A leaflet holder or odd panel sits above the keypad.
• The keypad feels raised or sticks out more than usual.
• Your card is hard to insert or remove.
• The link domain is not the one you type yourself for that organisation.
• The message asks for an OTP, PIN, card number or password.

What to do

1. Wiggle the card slot and look at the keypad before using an ATM.
2. Cover the keypad with your hand when typing your PIN.
3. Choose ATMs inside branches or well-lit, busy places.
4. Delete the message and tell family members who may get the same text.
5. Do not reply, do not tap the link and do not call the number in the message.
6. Open the official app or type the official website yourself to see if there is any real notice.

You can report suspicious SMS and calls on the Sanchar Saathi portal (Chakshu facility) of the Department of Telecommunications.

If money or a code is already gone

1. Call your bank on the number printed on your card and block the card at once.
2. Call 1930 and report the withdrawals with times and places.
3. Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in and inform the bank of the ATM location you used.
4. Ask the bank to issue a new card and review disputed withdrawals.

National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930; report at cybercrime.gov.in.

Safeavio is a phone security app and cannot detect a skimmer on an ATM. It can help in small ways, such as the Money Shield checklist for safe money habits and the scam check for messages that follow a card loss, like a fake 'refund' call. For ATMs, the safest checks are your own eyes, your hand over the keypad and bank alerts.

Full guide: ATM Skimmer and Hidden Camera Scam: how it works, signs and what to do. Other channels: fake app, phone call.

Questions