Harrow Town Centre is currently experiencing a rise in ATM fraud, warns local PCSO Zach Nicholson.
A scam known as ‘The Lebanese Loop’ involves a thin slip inserted into the ATM card slot, preventing cards from being ejected after transactions.
Posting via OWL, Nicholson said, “Currently going on in the town centre ATM’s are being hit with a fraudulent card scam known as ‘The Lebanese Loop’.
“This scam is conducted by scammers who place a thin slip pocket in the card slot of an ATM.
“Once a customer inserts the card into the slot it is still able to be read by the machine and so can conduct a regular transaction, however upon ejection of the card the pocket the scammer has placed prevents the card from being ejected,” he explained.
He added, “Whilst the customer has entered the bank the scammer pulls the pocket out of the ATM and makes off with the card. Scammers then go on a spending spree, or have been watching the whole time to gain access to the customers PIN.”
Nicholson advises Harrow residents to stay vigilant when using ATMs by being aware of their surroundings and protecting their PIN entry.
He recommends immediately canceling transactions if there are signs of tampering or if suspicious individuals are nearby.
“Don’t accept help from seemingly well-meaning strangers and never allow yourself to be distracted,” he added.
Residents are urged to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity around ATMs to local authorities to prevent further incidents.
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