By Kotie Geldenhuys
Photo courtesy of Pixabay
The bombing of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) has become a major and escalating criminal threat in South Africa, with highly organised syndicates using commercial-grade explosives to destroy cash machines and steal millions of rand each year. Many of these attacks are carefully planned and conducted by heavily armed criminal syndicates.
Attacks on Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) are becoming increasingly sophisticated, involving both physical and cyber-based methods to steal money from banks and consumers. Criminal groups are constantly adapting their techniques, making these crimes more difficult to detect and prevent and putting banks and the public at risk.
Skimming is one tactic. Crooks attach devices over or inside ATM card slots and PIN pads, sometimes adding hidden cameras to capture PINs. The data is then used to create cloned cards and drain accounts. Shimming, a newer variation, targets chip-enabled cards, where devices inserted deep inside the machine harvest card data. Some criminals go bigger. Cash-out schemes use stolen card numbers to hack accounts, manipulate balances and withdraw large amounts of money.
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[This is only an extract of an article published in Servamus: April 2026. This article is available for purchase.]