PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia police are warning residents of the latest ATM scam — a trap door to catch your money when you try to get cash out.
Police are looking for at least two men they believe are slipping trap doors onto outdoor ATMs at bank branches across the city.
“Usually with this type of [ATM], the roll door would roll down, and you can take your money out,” explained Capt. Robert McKeever, head of the Major Crimes Unit. “This trap basically stops that so the roll door still rolls down, but the customer hears the machine rolling and they can't get the roll door to go down, so you think the ATM machine is broken or … might be out of money.”
McKeever said the trap door is a trend along the East Coast and that nine different bank branches in the city have had it attached since March 15. Police declined to name the branches that have been hit.
“One of the branches notified us and then they made contact with the customers, so that's how we found out,” he said.
“Going through the video that the branches are sending us, that's how we're tracking this individual down. We believe there are two individuals right now that are involved, but there could be possibly more.”
Video shows a masked, gloved man attaching the trap doors, according to McKeever. “You can see a couple of videos we have, he's actually carrying the plate in and he just slips it in,” he said. “The metal bracket that he has attached to the bottom stops people from moving it so they think the machine’s broke.”
McKeever said officers have also seized several more skimmers at dollar and general stores in the city that are being used to steal from welfare accounts — keypad devices that record PINs. He urged residents to be on the lookout for those as well.
Police said the suspects are using a dark-colored SUV with possible New Jersey registration and are asking anyone with information to call 215-686-TIPS.
