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Security Alert--------Lebanese Loop “Lebanese Loop” attacks have become common occurrence especially in the western countries. The modus operandi in Lebanese Loop is comparatively simple, using a combination of technical and social engineering / inter personal skills. The technological part of the Lebanese Loop involves inserting clear plastic sleeves into the card slot of the ATM in advance. When an unsuspecting customer inserts his card for operation, the ATM try to read card’s magnetic strip but the exercise would be in vain as the card will be slotted into the sleeve inserted by fraudster. The situation will prompt the system to display messages like “ System Temporarily out of order “ or “Enter PIN number” etc. Whatever the customer does, may not yield the desired result as the system will not be able to read any instructions keyed in as the card will be within the sleeve inserted by the fraudster. It is at this point in time, that one of the individuals involved in the fraudulent racket will turn up and offer to help. The person offering to help may emerge posing as another customer pretending to be also aggravated over the malfunctioning of the ATM or as someone simply offering to help the customer to wriggle out of the woes he is in, quoting their own similar experience. In either case, the objective, basically, of the person offering to help is to get to know the ATM PIN number of the customer. Needless to mention, any means of support by the stranger may not help in enabling the customer to operate the ATM for obvious reasons. On the other hand, the damage is already done as the PIN number would have, in all probability, been compromised with. After several unsuccessful attempts to re-enter the PIN or at retrieving the card, the user will come into terms with the fact that he cannot retrieve the card anymore from the ATM. He may then opt to intimate the bank instead, for retrieving his card from the ATM. Once the unsuspecting customer leaves, the fraudster will remove the sleeve from the ATM and retrieve the card therein. Thereafter the fraudster is entitled to a free run having both the customer’s card and PIN number at his disposal, which enables him to transact from the customer’s account at will. This modus operandi can be used for trapping all types of cards that are used in ATMs viz. the ATM/Debit/Credit card etc. It is important for each of the customers to remember that if they encounter a scenario as mentioned above, the card slot of the ATM may be carefully examined by running the fingers across it to find one or more of the imperceptible “ prongs “ attached to the plastic sleeve that are designed to enable the fraudster to remove it. It is important to understand that if the card is not possible to be retrieved for any reason, it is not always right to assume that the ATM swallowed it. Instead it is prudent to enquire with the concerned branch/any authorized officials of the bank whether any problem exists with the ATMs and communicate about the card being held back by the system. Most of the banks providing ATM services display in the ATM cabin, the contact numbers, in case of emergency. Timely information will facilitate the bank personnel to look into the issue and ensure that a potential Lebanese Loop attempt is not rendered successful. The branch officials shall therefore exercise prudence/presence of mind whenever such instances are reported. The modus operandi invariably necessitates a scenario wherein the fraudster has to first go to an ATM to rig the card slot and fix the sleeve. Needless to mention the fraudster/his accomplices also have to be present in the vicinity of the ATM/ATM cabin to lend the helping hand to a customer who has been victimized. The most important aspect to be borne in mind is that such of these activities relating to Lebanese Loop to happen without any hindrance, the ideal situation has to be an unmanned ATM location. An unmanned ATM location provides the fraudsters the opportunity to spend ample time at the ATM/in the ATM cabin as is required as a pre-cursor to such fraudulent attempts. The Best preventive measure in the case of manned ATMs is that the security guards posted at the ATM sites do have a close watch on the people entering the ATM cabin, fixing any gadgets in the ATM or in the ATM cabin and those who spend unduly long time inside/around the cabin. Lebanese Loop attempts can be definitely thwarted by the security guards and the timely intervention of the branch officials to a considerable extent. The security guards at the ATM sites and the branch officials should be primarily aware and be vigilant on such issues. The need of the hour, therefore, Is to proactively anticipate and foresee motives in any of the activities being attempted in or around the ATM cabin which is not in line with the normal/prescribed set of actions and activities.