'A lucrative crime': Cyber thieves trick ATMs into giving them cash
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KFOR) - You can think of it as a version of a modern day robbery.
But instead of a blockbuster holdup, thieves use high tech trickery to force ATMs to spit out thousands in cash.
Police say this is not your typical smash and grab.
Instead, ATM Jackpotting as it's known, occurs when criminals install malicious software at ATMs.
Once activated, the machines will allow thousands of dollars in cash to be dispensed, through multiple withdrawals.
"They're putting a code into the ATM and they have hardware or or software malware attached to that item that causes it to dispense cash," said MSgt. Gary Knight of the Oklahoma City Police Department, while adding that it's often hard to catch criminals in the act because it often just looks like someone is using the ATM.
According to authorities, criminals are often able to target multiple ATMs over just a couple of days without being getting caught because it's difficult to catch thieves while a jackpotting attack is in progress.
"They don't assume that, 'hey, this person is actually stealing from the ATM'," Knight added.
Crimes then often go unnoticed until a bank or ATM provider goes to reconcile the cash from a machine.
That was the case in Oklahoma City on May 18, when an ATM provider reported that it was the victime of the cyber attack at an OnCue gas station at 1530 S. Mustang Road.
Records indicate while the attack was believed to have happened just after 4 p.m., it took several hours for officials to discover that several withdrawals worth thousands of dollars had taken place.
However, surveillance video shows one suspect opening up the ATM and installing software.
Later, other members of the "cash out crew" began withdrawing the money over a period of several hours.
Authorities could not confirm the exact amount that was stolen, but believe it was thousands of dollars.
Oklahoma City Police worked with a U.S. Secret Service Cyber Crimes Task Force to catch the suspects, who also hit another gas station ATM in Southwest Oklahoma City.
About $60,000 was stolen from that location.
The two suspects who were caught were charged with computer crimes, conspiracy, pattern of criminal offense and obtaining money by false pretenses.