As this is a hot topic at the moment I thought I would tell you of a new way they have found to beat the chip and pin.

I work for a company that owns a group of petrol stations.  Last Saturday one of our area managers found a small camera in the ceiling of one of the shops immediately above the chip & pin machine.  It was recording customers entering their pin numbers.

It appears one of the cashiers was threatened and told they knew where he lived and would kill his family if he didn't let them put it in. Since being found the manager has disappeared.  He could be involved, although he has worked for us for several years, or something could have happened to him, we do not know.

The police were called on the Saturday and no one had turned up by Monday, come Monday a senior member of the company still couldn't get them out until he threatened going higher up, they then arrived but didn't even take the camera and recorder away for forensics. We have a manager missing and they showed no concern, Unbelievable!

We have had several occasions when these people have come into the sites and threatened the staff but in these cases they have wanted to put their own chip & pin machine in, it clones the card and records the pin numbers, this is the first time we have had the camera.

So, please be aware and cover the machine when entering the number, I know I don't usually do this as most people don't.

>It appears one of the cashiers was threatened and told they knew where he lived and would kill his family if he didn't let them put it in.<

Yeah right :rolleyes: Sounds preeeettty unbelievable to me,i bet he was involved.
This scam has been around for years,they were setting up teeny camera's on cash machines recording all the info.

Unfortunately the cashiers are getting threatened like this.  We have had it happen in several sites where they have told us they have been threatened, didn't want to be involoved and have had to leave their job because of it.

Setting up a camera on a cash machine is different, no one else involved, several people have posted on here recently about their credit cards being used and couldn't understand how...........but obviously it is your choice if you want to ignore any facts given to you.

Have to say Ktee that I do think the police should have assumed the person who is missing is innocent until proved involved and taken steps to find him - although to be fair, we don't know that they aren't investigating this aspect do we?  At the very least, I would have expected them to remove the camera.

I'm sure the other cashiers sandrah has mentioned who have claimed they are being threatened wouldn't have made up such a story just because they wanted to leave!

I always cover the keypad with my hand when entering pins on cash machines but have to say I have never thought to do this in shops. :(

Well thanks for the warning, that is another way they can get to us. I don't doubt people do get threatened, but why not report it, and set up a sting to capture these people.

I must agree with Ktee though, whether the manager was involved and getting a cut, or whether he allowed the camera there through fear, either way he has now participated in theft he has probably disappeared so as not to be questioned and charged.

Will the company be alerting all the people who used the staion that they need to change their pin number and perhaps cards too???

How do you capture these people Carrington, individuals of the company cannot do it or certainly should not have to, the police do not want to know.  I despair at the police attitude, not just over this but at several other robberies within the company.  This is a major crime against the public, whether those with the credit cards or the staff being threatened.

We are unsure about the manager, usually we would jump to the same conclusion, but this person has been with the company for several years and has an unblemished record.  He lives with his mother who is really worried and has filed him as a missing person. The cashier has admitted being the one who was threatened and allowed them access to install the camera.  So don't know, perhaps we never will.

A message has been put up in the forecourt, unfortunately you have no details of the customers to make individual contact.

I guess that it is very frightening for all concerned, the police should be a lot more helpful than they are being, firstly do not most petrol stations have security camera's nowadays, surely the staff member can show the perps from where the cars are filled up to the office and point them out to the police from the tapes.

Unfortuately long standing managers can be the easiest to turn they have worked all their lives and if being offered some easy money possibly double/triple their normal wage with the high price of today's living, it can be very tempting, so length of service is not always a sure fire reason to trust someone.

If anyone were in danger it would be the cashier who saw them and allowed them access why would they hurt the manager only? Unless he were much further involved.

Saying that though, I really hope that he is ok, the fraud squad need to get involved either way, to find the perps and the manager.

Your HQ should be taking all these threats very seriously and dealing with the police to secure your safety, and catch the people involved all over the country, everyone listens if enough fuss is made.

Without saying too much I know of a unit that deals with this crime and spend an awful lot of time on this type of crime.  Sometimes it is the tip of a very big iceberg and take a lot of time to trace everything back.  Be careful - I'm told never use a credit card in a petrol station because it is so common....

Maxine