Data thieves have struck significantly more frequently at ATMs in Germany this year.
However, the criminals were only able to make money out of bank customers' card data and secret numbers (PIN) in 102 cases, according to the statistics of the Frankfurt-based institution Euro Kartensysteme.
Gross losses from skimming cases fell by 70 percent year-on-year to a record low of EUR 99,000.
"The skimming business model has finally become obsolete for fraudsters due to the global implementation of secure EMV chip technology on cards and terminals," summarized Euro Kartensysteme.
With EMV technology, the authenticity of payment cards is checked each time they are used with the help of a built-in mini-computer.
Duplicates based on card data stolen in Germany can therefore only be used in a few countries worldwide.
Nevertheless, criminals have manipulated ATMs in Germany 222 times in the current year in order to spy on bank customers.
In order to get data illegally, the perpetrators manipulate the card slot or the keypad on the ATM, for example.
In the first eleven months of 2021, 116 cases of "skimming" were counted, for the whole of 2021 there were 136. Individual machines may have been manipulated several times.
Consumers who have become victims of "skimming" usually do not have to fear any financial disadvantage.
As a rule, financial institutions in Germany compensate for such damage - provided customers have handled the card and PIN carefully.