ATM machines all over New York City were drained of 2.7 million dollars in the course of 10 hours last February during a brazen cyber robbery. New York was only one city hit, with metropolitan areas in Japan, Canada, Germany and other countries also having their ATMs looted. The total take from the robbery was 45 million worldwide.
The scheme involved hacking into banks to change ATM withdrawal limits and encoding stolen account information onto magnetic cards. Over the course of just 10 hours, thieves around the world struck ATMs, loading bags with cash. This money was then laundered through the purchase of stolen luxury goods including Rolex watches and luxury cars. This is the largest bank heist in recent New York legislative history.
Although the international ringleader is unknown, the suspected leader of the New York crew was found dead in the Dominican Republic last April. Police described the heist as expertly planned, coordinated and executed, even comparing it to the film Ocean’s Eleven.
Most current cyber-crime bills making their way through the legislature deal with cyber bullying and stocking. This robbery may force the legislature to take on cyber bank fraud. Cyber security experts and hackers alike have, in the past, noted that ATMs can easily fall victim to cyber criminals.








