ATMs beefed up with anti-skimming technology
The Thai Bankers' Association wants to install devices that will prevent "card skimming" in all ATM machines within two months, and replace magnetic-strip cards with microchip equivalents by January 2016, in a bid to reduce ATM card-related crime.
TBA secretary general Twatchai Yongkittikul also confirmed that each bank currently has preventive measures, including the ability to suspend an account within 1-2 hours of a card going missing or being used in suspicious manner. He urged customers not to worry, as the banks would be responsible for losses due to card-skimming crimes.
Twatchai was speaking yesterday after meeting with national police deputy chief Pol General Aek Angsananont, related police units, bank representatives and Internet operators to discuss preventive measures. He said the discussion clarified which police unit would be responsible for crimes involving ATM cards. Crimes related to such electronic card usage would be filed with the Economic Crime Suppression Division, while thefts not involve cards would be filed with the Technology Crime Suppression Division, he said. The Police’s Foreign Division could help check whether foreigners’ passports used in an application for Thai bank accounts were authentic or not, he added.
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