CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The Global ATM Security Alliance (GASA), formed by the ATM Industry Association in June 2003, has launched a global ATM Crime Information System which will generate analysis reports on ATM crime patterns around the world as a strategic crime prevention tool.
"Crimes like debit card skimming, cash and card trapping, ram raids, robberies, muggings and cases of insider fraud of different kinds are still prevalent in our industry in various countries," said Mike Lee, ATMIA's international director. "What better way to fight crime than to join forces in our industry across the world and share crime information, counter-measures and best practices?"
This milestone follows the publication last month of GASA's International ATM Crime Directory with its nine categories of ATM crime. The global database has incorporated these nine categories, enabling all users of the system to categorize ATM crimes the same way.
"This universality of terminology will mean users in Australia, Canada, the United States, Europe, South Africa, South America and the United Kingdom can all compare crime trends in their respective countries with international patterns, matching like with like. It also means we can readily spot geographic migrations of crime, enabling us to anticipate crime trends and forewarn the relevant authorities," Lee explained.
GASA's Crime Information System was designed and developed by the South African Fraud Prevention Services. The system was tested during a three-month pilot
GASA includes representation from Visa and MasterCard, as well as from major ATM networks and law enforcement and fraud prevention agencies in several countries.
