Cash Trapping

Cash trapping is an ATM fraud technique in which criminals fix a physical device — often a thin metal or plastic sleeve — inside or over the cash-dispensing slot of an ATM. When a customer completes a withdrawal, the machine dispenses notes as normal, but the trap catches them before they emerge fully, leaving the customer believing the machine has malfunctioned and no cash was dispensed.

The victim typically leaves to report the problem or contact their bank, unaware that money was correctly debited from their account. The fraudster, who is watching nearby, then retrieves the trapping device along with the trapped cash. In some variants, the fraudster approaches the victim while they are at the machine, suggests pressing buttons to 'release stuck cash', and uses the distraction to remove the device and banknotes themselves.

Cash trapping differs from ATM skimming in that it targets the dispensed cash directly rather than card data. It does not require any electronic components, making it simple to deploy. Users should report ATM malfunctions immediately without leaving the machine unattended, check their bank account balance to confirm whether a debit occurred, and be wary of strangers who offer help at ATMs.