Friday, January 05, 2007

ATM Machine theft

I like to read up about the latest security issues.

In Australia, the thieves are downright brazen and install and attach elaborate devices onto ATMs which cream off your money from your account when you withdraw it.

The machine which looks like exactly like the fascia of the ATM is attached onto the ATM machine- when you put your card in and punch in the numbers- it will record the data for the criminals.

Other devices include cameras attached to brouchure holders next to ATMs.

Quite a lot of it originate from Malaysia.

There's also another trick known as the Lebanese Loop. Which of course must have been thought of by a bunch of bored Presbyterians. ;)

A simple plastic tab is inserted into the machine. When you put your card in- it just won't come out. Then a "friendly person" will come along and show you how to "get it back". Whilst you key in your password several times, the "friendly" will take note of it. After you leave in frustration, the thief will pull out your card, withdraw all of your money and walk out.

Frankly, I reckon such people, if caught, ought to be drowned in a tub as a deterrent. It cost practically nothing. And it saves the nation plenty of cash to be used for schools and hospitals and orphanages etc.. One reason why the (ATM) thieves LOVE Australia so much- is because if they get caught- they don't do much time in their nice jails. So the downside is limited- upside has great potential.

Civil Society is based on trust. The reason why we don't walk around - like in the olden days- armed, shoot first and ask questions later etc.. is because we expect and assume that the people that walk around us will abide by the laws and regulations of the land. One reason why we don't keep our cash under our beds is because we expect the banking system to be safe as houses. In an ideal civil society, we won't even have to lock our doors and everyone is honest. However, once we start allowing people to get away with murder, rape, and theft- or being lenient on them - the society simply falls apart.

Look at Australia now- see how their soft-soft nice-nice approach is working. One day, you're gonna see a land wracked by anarachy and lawlessness. Already parts of its sectors have already become badlands- woe to all who enter them.

Sometime back, one Korean student, who lost his way to a party, showed up at the wrong party, wrong house. The people there took exception to him- and shot him dead. Despite the fact that there were dozens of witnesses, no one saw a damn thing. The police tried to probe around and the gang machine gunned the police station. Meanwhile, the stupid Labor politicians take leadership and do nothing except murmur a few "Kofi Annan" phrases.

Read how Tim Priest, a former policeman, thinks about the problem. And also here - Blind Eye to Ethnic Crime

The funny thing is that in the days of the ancient brutal Mongol Empire- it was said that a virgin could walk across its lands with a pot of gold on her head- and not be harmed. Why you ask? The Mongols were cruel and ruthless. They slaughtered the entire population of enemy cities who did not surrender!! But people forget that after the Mongols conquered the lands and subjugated the people- the Mongols wanted to maintain a tidy and respectable empire. They wanted trade to flourish. They wanted religious freedom. And they definately didn't want corruption or petty thievery. One reason why the Mongols invaded the Middle East - and slaughtered a vast number of its peoples- was because the ruler of Baghdad wanted to charge them too much taxes for the trade routes. When the Mongols sent in emissaries to negotiate- the Muslims executed them. The Mongols- sent another group- same bloody result. So the Mongols invaded.

But to fight crime, you have to show no mercy sometimes... maybe most of the time. However in Australia, the reverse is more accurate. The criminal, the Australians believe, is to be cared for and rehabilitated back into society- but at whose expense?

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