Fake ATM tapped data from accounts

A reporter with the Xinhua News Agency became a fraud victim after thieves used a fake automated teller machine (ATM) to capture account information and drain money from his bank account.

When he attempted to make a transaction on Thursday a "service suspended temporarily" message was displayed on the screen, according to the news agency. The reporter found out that bank contact numbers displayed on the screen were all wrong numbers, after he tried to use his card on Saturday.

The ATM, installed on a street corner in Xuanwu district a week ago, was bogusly labeled VISA, UnionPay, and Hang Seng Bank, giving it the look of authenticity. But bank officials said they had not installed an ATM in that neighborhood.