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EDINBURGH, UK FOR RELEASE ON 14TH OCTOBER 2016

ATM Explosive Attacks surge in Europe


In a European ATM Crime Report covering the first six months of 2016 the European ATM Security
Team (EAST) has reported that ATM explosive attacks were up 80% when compared to the same
period in 2015.
A total of 492 explosive attacks were reported, up from 273 during the same period in 2015. While the
majority were explosive gas attacks, 110 were solid explosive attacks. EAST Executive Director Lachlan
Gunn said, "This rise in explosive attacks is of great concern to the industry in Europe as such attacks create
a significant amount of collateral damage to equipment and buildings as well as a risk to life. The EAST
Expert Group on Physical Attacks (EGAP) is working to analyse the attacks and to share intelligence best
practice information across the industry and law enforcement that can help to mitigate the threat.
Overall ATM related physical attacks rose 30% when compared with H1 2015 (up from 1,232 to 1,604
incidents). Losses due to ATM related physical attacks rose 3% to 27 million (up from 26.3 million in
2015). The average cash loss for a ram raid or burglary attack is estimated at 17,327, the average cash
loss per explosive attack is 16,631 and the average cash loss for a robbery is 20,017. These figures do
not take into account collateral damage to equipment or buildings, which can be significant and often
exceeds the value of the cash lost in successful attacks.
EAST also reported a 28% increase in ATM related fraud attacks, up from 8,421 in H1 2015 to 10,820 in H1
2016. This rise was mainly driven by a 281% increase in Transaction Reversal Fraud (up from 1,270 to
4,840 incidents). The downward trend for card skimming continues with 1,573 card skimming incidents
reported, down 21% from 1,986 in H1 2015.
Losses due to ATM related fraud attacks were up 12% when compared with H1 2015 (up from 156 million
to 174 million). This rise was largely driven by an 8% rise in international skimming losses (up from 131
million to 142 million). The Asia-Pacific region (particularly Indonesia) and the USA are where the majority
of such losses were reported. Domestic skimming losses rose 24% over the same period.
The number of ATM logical attacks reported continues to rise. 28 incidents were reported (all cash out or
jackpotting attacks), up from just 5 during the same period in 2015. Related losses were 0.4 million.
A summary of the report statistics under the main headings is in the table below. The full report, with
breakdowns for each crime category, is available to EAST members and subscribers on the EAST website
www.european-atm-security.eu
EUROPEAN ATM CRIME STATISTICS - SUMMARY
ATM Related Fraud Attacks

H1 2012

H1 2013

H1 2014

H1 2015

H1 2016

% +/- 15/16

Total reported Incidents

9,595

12,676

7,345

8,421

10,820

+28%

Total reported losses

131m

124m

132m

156m

174m

+12%

ATM Related Physical Attacks

H1 2012

H1 2013

H1 2014

H1 2015

H1 2016

% +/- 15/16

Total reported Incidents

968

1,007

1,032

1,232

1,604

+30%

Total reported losses

8m

10m

13m

26m

27m

+3%

ENDS
(Background data on the Report & EAST follow)
For further information and a PDF copy of the report (Media only) please contact the EAST Executive
Director Lachlan Gunn: Email coordinator@eas-team.eu Tel: + 44 131 5100268

EUROPEAN ATM CRIME REPORTH1 2016 Period: January to June 2016


The above release is based on a report prepared twice-yearly by EAST to provide an overview of the
European ATM crime situation for law enforcement officers and EAST members, using statistics provided
from 20 European states. The following countries, with an estimated total installed base of 367,423 ATMs,
supplied full or partial information for this report:
Austria; Belgium; Czech Republic; Denmark; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Ireland; Italy;
Liechtenstein; Luxembourg; Netherlands; Portugal; Romania; Slovakia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland;
United Kingdom.
EAST intends to obtain such information from all 28 European Union states as well as from Iceland,
Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
EAST has taken reasonable measures to develop the Report this press release is based on and to report in
a fair, reasonable, open, and objective manner. However, EAST makes no claims, promises, or guarantees
about the completeness of the underlying data. In addition, as the information in the report has been passed
to EAST by other parties, errors or mistakes may exist or be discovered. Neither EAST nor its members,
authors, or agents shall be liable for any loss, damage, or claim with respect to any such information being
provided. All such liabilities, including direct, special, indirect, or consequential damages, are expressly
disclaimed and excluded.

ABOUT EAST
Founded in February 2004 EAST is a non-profit organisation whose National Members are committed to
gathering information from, and disseminating EAST outputs to, ATM deployers and networks within their
countries/regions. While the main focus of EAST is on ATMs, the Group also focuses on all payment
terminals that have a direct impact on crime perpetrated at ATM locations.
Our mission is to gather and provide information to the European ATM industry and to facilitate effective
representation of ATM related security issues at relevant European central institutions, through a panEuropean co-ordination of ATM security resources.
EAST has set up a framework network structure to improve co-operation with industry, law enforcement, and
in particular Europol, in order to achieve awareness and better results in the fight against organized crossborder crime. EAST National Members represent 34 countries with a total deployment of 1,332,228 ATMs.
The EAST Expert Group on ATM Fraud (EGAF), formed in May 2013, provides a European specialist expert
forum for discussion of ATM related fraud trends, fraud methodologies and counter-measures. Through a
system of ATM Fraud Alerts EAST EGAF is able to communicate important and timely information to its
National and Associate Members.
The EAST Expert Group on ATM Physical Attacks (EGAP), formed in May 2014, provides a European
specialist expert forum for discussion of ATM related physical attack trends, attack methodologies and
counter-measures. Through a system of ATM Physical Attack Alerts EAST EGAP is able to communicate
important and timely information to its National and Associate Members.
The EAST Payments Task Force (EPTF), launched in January 2016, provides a European specialist forum
for discussion of security issues affecting the payments industry and for the gathering, collation and
dissemination of related information and statistics.
More information can be found at http://www.european-atm-security.eu

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