Greeting from the bank fraud department upon my return home from Rio de Janeiro

[mvan1]

-
I left Rio LAST NIGHT and arrived home this morning. As I was entering my house, my phone was ringing. The call was from one of my bankers who advised me that my ATM card had been used TODAY to make a series of five maximum withdrawals from an ATM machine in a Brazilian shopping center.

I was told that the five withdrawals were successfully made, all within a few minutes of each withdrawal. The bank said the withdrawals were initially honored because I have a long history with the bank and often make ATM withdrawals in Brazil. The bank said a fraud alert was created because I never previously made a series of withdrawals like was made today.

The bank opened a fraud claim and will reverse the bogus ATM transactions.

Let my ATM experience be a warning to those who use ATMs in Rio.

I used my card only once while in Rio. I made that one withdrawal, INSIDE a branch at Bradesco Bank. I covered my hand as I entered my password. There was nothing on the ATM machine nor in the bank to indicate that anything or anyone suspicious was lurking.

In view of the fact that my one use of my ATM was as described above, it is obvious that a bank employee or someone connected with the bank was involved in having a clone made of my ATM card. I suppose the bank could have been “hacked” by an outside interloper but if it had been, the breach would have been ongoing and would be known to the public. Therefore, I contend that the ATM clone was done by a bank employee or was aided by a bank employee.

Aside from the above discussed bank issue, I found Rio rather disappointing this trip. The bank theft occurred after I left Rio. Therefore, the bank issue had nothing to do with my less than enjoyable Rio visit.

Clube 117 was fun last Friday and Sunday nights, but not stellar, as it usually is. However, Tuesday night was awful. Tuesday is generally a busy night at Clube 117 because the sauna is closed on Monday and there are “free suites” available on Tuesday.

This past Tuesday, Clube 117 had only about half the usual number of garotos. Of approximately 25 - 30 garotos present on Tuesday night, about two-thirds of them were heavily muscled and appeared to be steroid users. Their muscles were not natural in appearance. Some of the garotos had huge over developed torsos and legs that looked disproportionate. I realize that some people are attracted to that type garoto but that type does nothing for me. There were a few very young twinks, but twinks are not for me either.

There were a few good looking non-steroid guys but they were in high demand by other clients because of the scarcity of good looking garotos on Tuesday. I could see the same good looking garotos go up and down the stairs with different clients. I was not interested in joining a caravan of clients seeking the same repeatedly used garotos.

This past Tuesday was my first and only time in countless visits to Clube 117 (over more than twelve years) that I did not hook up with a garoto. Thus - don’t always assume that Tuesday at Clube 117 will be a fun and fulfilling night.

Meio Mundo on Monday was fairly busy. Most of the garotos there are not like those heavily muscled garotos found at Clube 117, but there were a few muscle freaks there. Many of the garotos at Meio Mundo are more of a “guy next door” type garoto. Most are unassuming and friendly.

My only dislike for Meio Mundo is the lack of privacy for clients. Garotos stand around the supposed “client locker area” and sometimes enter even though they are told to stay out of the client area. The lack of privacy makes retrieving money from a locker awkward because garotos flock around the locker area. In other words, they can see where you keep your money in a supposed private locker. The locker area is an open area with one large entrance and another entrance and/or exit that leads to a hall.

The design and structure of Meio Mundo would never pass building inspection codes in the U.S. nor probably in any other industrialized country. Even with Brazil’s easy going laws, I suspect the building would have problems with passing inspection, particularly the steep stairs at Meio Mundo. Those dangerous and loose and steep stairs are an accident waiting to happen.

It was nice to visit Rio again after a short absence. However, my comfort zone for Brazil lies in Sao Paulo, Porto Alegre and Recife.

I return to Sao Paulo next week, where I feel more at home while I am away from home. By the way, in all my visits to Sao Paulo, I have never had my ATM card cloned in that city.

-

[Guest loganguydc]

So that is why I always use American Express SERVE or Bluebird debit. I can do an instant transfer from my "normal" bank account and load up my Bluebird account up to $200 on my phone and then use the Bluebird card to pull out cash. $2 ATM fee and no international transaction fee. They can clone my Bluebird all they want. If they were to try and use it, no money on it at all since I pulled the cash out.

[TotallyOz]

Mvan, sorry, that sucks. It happened to me once and I am very leery. I am surprised it happened with only one ATM withdrawal. That is shocking.

logan, that is a great idea. I had not thought of that. Thanks.

[floridarob]

Doesn't mean was an "inside" job..... very common, even in USA.

http://krebsonsecurity.com/all-about-skimmers/

[mvan1]

Doesn't mean was an "inside" job..... very common, even in USA.

http://krebsonsecurity.com/all-about-skimmers/

Thank you very much for your post and its related content. Based on the information you provided, it certainly appears that I could be wrong in my assumption that a bank employee was involved in the cloning of my ATM card.

I read your article and also did a Google search on "skimmers"

Based on the numerous articles that appeared from the Google search, I must say that I am shocked that a skimmer is so small. The small size of a skimmer is why I did not notice it, if one was attached to the ATM machine I used at Bradesco Bank.

I am still unclear on how my password was obtained. The Google articles show various small skimmers and how they are nearly undetectable when attached to an ATM machine. The articles say that in addition to the skimmer, a small video camera is placed "near by" which photos the customer entering the password.

I always cover my hand when I enter my password and, because I play the piano, I am able to use different fingers and also change the direction of my fingers in a way that it would be next to impossible for a camera to guess the actual password I entered while my other hand is covering the fingers that enter the password.

In addition to the above, I also learned from the Google search that it is possible to purchase an ATM skimmer. Incredible!

Here is a link on how and where to buy an ATM skimmer and how much they cost. Incredible! What has happened to our world?

http://www.dhgate.com/product/sl-bezel-atm-part/211507189.html?utm_source=pla&utm_medium=GMC&utm_campaign=dotogether&utm_term=211507189&f=bm|211507189|011015-RetailServices|GMC|Adwords|pla|dotogether|US|011015002-PointofSaleEquipment|c||0HRF|&gclid=CjwKEAjw8NaxBRDhiafR-uvkpywSJAAxcl6faYSEDNJ5X-1lRXAf-f-Nfd5H-EJ4DyvsA8LOm3GIHhoCCHjw_wcB

-

[ihpguy]

I've posted this advice before. Only use an ATM at a Rio de Janeiro bank branch during normal business hours.

Also go to a branch which is busy. The thieves do not want to be detected pulling out whatever type of skimmer.

Banco do Brasil branches almost always have guards in the machine areas during business hours.

Santos Dumont Airport is a very safe place during business hours. Very busy place.

I've had cards cloned twice while living here. Once at an HSBC before 7am on a weekday and at about 8an on a Sunday.

Plan ahead. At both places it was the same M.O. I entered alone and a younger person followed me in and stayed on the opposite side of the agency not to arouse my suspicion. But after I left, could quickly come in and pull out the skimmer.

A friend examined some sites and thought I was a victim of a thin paper card with a magnetic stripe in the slot that could read all of my data.

[SolaceSoul]

Thank you very much for your post and its related content. Based on the information you provided, it certainly appears that I could be wrong in my assumption that a bank employee was involved in the cloning of my ATM card.

I read your article and also did a Google search on "skimmers"

Based on the numerous articles that appeared from the Google search, I must say that I am shocked that a skimmer is so small. The small size of a skimmer is why I did not notice it, if one was attached to the ATM machine I used at Bradesco Bank.

I am still unclear on how my password was obtained. The Google articles show various small skimmers and how they are nearly undetectable when attached to an ATM machine. The articles say that in addition to the skimmer, a small video camera is placed "near by" which photos the customer entering the password.

I always cover my hand when I enter my password and, because I play the piano, I am able to use different fingers and also change the direction of my fingers in a way that it would be next to impossible for a camera to guess the actual password I entered while my other hand is covering the fingers that enter the password.

-

Look at the second photo in the article posted. The thieves could've used an ATM PIN capture overlay device.

[ferrar]

I've posted this advice before. Only use an ATM at a Rio de Janeiro bank branch during normal business hours.

Also go to a branch which is busy. The thieves do not want to be detected pulling out whatever type of skimmer.

Banco do Brasil branches almost always have guards in the machine areas during business hours.

Santos Dumont Airport is a very safe place during business hours. Very busy place.

I've had cards cloned twice while living here. Once at an HSBC before 7am on a weekday and at about 8an on a Sunday.

Plan ahead. At both places it was the same M.O. I entered alone and a younger person followed me in and stayed on the opposite side of the agency not to arouse my suspicion. But after I left, could quickly come in and pull out the skimmer.

A friend examined some sites and thought I was a victim of a thin paper card with a magnetic stripe in the slot that could read all of my data.

This ^^^^

Good advice. Previous (non-chip) bank card was cloned once in the last decade, at a Citibank in Rio, during daylight hours, on a local holiday.

Other advice to the OP: be sure to use a chip-and-pin card. Not 100% foolproof (what is?), but a quantum leap in anti-cloning protection.

All Brazil bank cards have been chip and pin for a decade here. For good reason. Tourists using non-chip cards in Brazil are easy prey and frankly sitting ducks.

[mvan1]

-

Apparently, Brazil is the world's leader for cloning of ATM cards and stealing money from U.S. banks, via ATMs and credit cards.

Even Russia (notorious for dishonest activities) doesn't even get honorable mention.

Here is one article that reports Brazil's propensity for ripping off American banks via cloning ATM cards and credit cards (Google will produce many more articles).

My own ATM rip-off experience, together with reading countless articles in connection with ATM cloning, makes it clear that I will have to be more cautious in the future when using Brazilian ATMs.

The fact that my ATM card is chip and pin made no difference - it still got cloned.

Check out this article, which is not complimentary of Brazil:

http://krebsonsecurity.com/2014/10/replay-attacks-spoof-chip-card-charges/

-