Thief Tries to Empty ATM by Replacing Security Camera with Keyboard

These days, numerous fraud rings rely on ATM skimming devices to make a profit. Some gadgets are sophisticated, while others are simple.

However, an incident at the Bank of Brazil highlights the fact that, in some cases, the classic skimmers can be taken out of the equation altogether and replaced with a computer keyboard.

According to Brian Krebs, who cites a Sao Paulo publication, the thief managed to remove the machine’s security camera and replaced it with a USB stick, which he utilized to restart the ATM’s system. Presumably, the camera was connected to the device via an USB port.

Then, with the use of a folding keyboard, he simply typed in the values of the notes he wanted to withdraw.

He started by cashing out all the large bills and worked his way down to the smaller ones. In total, he managed to withdraw around $41,000 (32,000 EUR).

Alerted by the bank’s security, police came to the scene and arrested the man while he withdrew the money.

It’s believed that someone was guiding him over the phone, but the man refused to hand over the identity of his accomplice.