Cash machine customers hit by fraudsters

BANK customers were targeted by fraudsters who attached a card reading device to an ATM machine in a bid to steal their cash.

The illegal device was found by a customer using the Royal Bank of Scotland machine outside the Tesco supermarket at Ferrymuir, South Queensferry.

The same machine was also fitted with card cloning technology by a criminal gang in June 2006. On that occasion, a tiny camera aimed at the keypad recorded customers entering their secret PIN numbers.

The latest device was found at 3.30pm yesterday and was recovered by police. The force today warned members of the public to be vigilant against such devices.

A police spokeswoman said: "A lot of money will be withdrawn from ATMs over the Bank Holiday weekend, so we are asking people to be wary of these kind of devices when using them.

"If you think a suspicious device has been attached to a machine, or if there are people acting suspiciously in the vicinity, we would urge you to report this to police urgently."

Anyone with any information should contact police.