Skimmed

While I spread the word about identity fraud and identity theft, a friend had her bank account drained. She called, not knowing what to do, all her savings siphoned off, the ATM suddenly informing her that she had insufficient funds to make a withdrawal. Any withdrawal.
Thank you.
Goodbye.
The bank will cover her loss, because the bank knew and they thought they had blocked her card, somehow they forgot and, well, you know how things go with the credit crunch and all - they had other things on their minds. Apparently. But she was skimmed and for more than three weeks daily withdrawals were made in London, to the maximum allowed on foreign ATM's.
So this is what gets me. There is a team in Amsterdam skimming cards, and as soon as they have skimmed one they send the information to London, by email or sms or whatever. In London there is someone, of more than one, who immediately starts tapping the account for as much as he can. There is a degree of organisation there that is scary. I want to believe I get burned by some guy who runs round the corner to the next ATM, hurrying, out of breath, nervously punching in my code, waiting for the money while his heart races, looking over his shoulder while he tries to disappear.
That I can live with. Not very easily, but I can.
But this remote controlled robbery is a sin.
I tell you.