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The Banker's Association of Philippines, worried about what it calls increasing fraud cases in the country, has warned cardholders and financial institutions to take extra steps designed to thwart criminals. In a notification, the association asked its member banks to regularly inspect ATMs for such devices as hidden cameras and card-skimming software. The association cautioned consumers to immediately contact their issuers or an ATM hotline number in case of suspected card fraud. The association did not immediately respond to a CardLine Global request for comment, nor did it give statistics regarding ATM and card fraud in the Philippines. Local press, however, indicated that fraudsters operating in the Middle East recently have struck in the Philippines and other parts of the Asia-Pacific region.
