Watch out for “Shimming”, this bank fraud almost impossible to avoid

It is almost impossible to avoid, and can do big damage. Similarly, THE shimmingthis illegal method used to recover the contact details of bank cards. Nevertheless, divert money, resurfaces this summer in France. For example, cases were identified in Vitry-sur-Seine, in Val-de-Marne, initiated by individuals who acted from Spain.

If national police qualify this scam of ” new “the Banque de France the date of a few years ago. In addition, According to its observatory for the security of means of payment. However, the institution thus estimated at € 36,000 the amount of financial loss linked to shimming In 2023, a figure down compared to 2022 (€ 50,000). Furthermore, A drop of water. However, compared to nearly 500 million euros stolen, all fraud with a bank card combined that year, but, individually, this scam can siphon a bank account.

According to the police. “Fuel stations and ticket distributors are the most affected” by this scam, which resembles the skimmingan older practice that harass the magnetic track of the card. In a message posted on the networks. signal scams describes this time a tool, the shimmer, “Who records the data from all the cards that pass there” via their watch out “shimming”, this bank electronic chips.

Regularly monitor your accounts – Watch out "shimming", this bank

Confidential code, card number … installed by a third party in the slit of a bank card reader. this small device recovers incognito the sensitive data from users. From a distance, the hacker then resells them, or uses them himself. Several hundred. even thousands of euros can be diverted from the current account of her victim before she notices fraud. Because this is where it is the main force of shimming : be almost undetectable.

The authorities therefore advocate to regularly monitor their bank accounts and oppose the abnormal movement. The person can then report to his bank within thirteen months. and this must, in principle, reimburse the stolen sums, in accordance with the Monetary and Financial Code. However, this reimbursement can be refused if the user of the account is suspected of fraudulent behavior or serious negligence.

Some banks also offer to provide the watch out “shimming”, this bank credit card with a dynamic cryptogram. often displayed by LED screen on the back, which is randomly renewed every hour. In case of hacking. the card will therefore be unusable, since this series of three figures will have changed in the meantime.

Fairly complex to set up. the shimming is far from being the most widespread scam, and is concentrated for the moment in Paris and in the small crown. Additionally, The bank card remains one of the safest payment methods, with a fraud rate of 0.054 % observed in the first half of 2024 by the Banque de France.