A Plain-English Guide to Bank Hacking and Unauthorized Transfers
People who lose money from their bank accounts are almost always told the same thing:
“The system shows the transaction was authorized.”
What they are not told is how fraud actually happens — mechanically, step by step — or how someone else can move their money without their permission.
This series exists to answer that question.
How It Happens is a growing collection of in-depth articles explaining, in plain English, the real-world methods criminals use to steal money from bank accounts — and why victims are often blamed for actions they never took.
These are not blog posts.
They are technical explanations written for real people.
What This Series Is (and Is Not)
What it is:
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Narrow, deep explanations of one fraud mechanism at a time
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Written so a non-technical reader can follow the process
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Grounded in law-enforcement and regulatory reality
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Focused on how money moves without authorization
What it is not:
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Not advice on how to commit fraud
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Not speculation or theory
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Not generic “tips” content
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Not bank marketing language
Think of this as a cutaway diagram of the fraud, with the panels removed.
Why This Matters
Understanding how fraud happens matters because:
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Banks often rely on oversimplified explanations
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Victims are frequently told they “must have done something”
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Credential use is confused with authorization
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Real evidence is overlooked or ignored
When you understand the mechanics, the story changes.
The “How It Happens” Articles
Each article below focuses on one specific method, explained in detail.
How it Happens: ATM Skimming 2.0 — The Hardware-Store Hack
Modern skimming is fast, subtle, and designed to be invisible. This article explains how criminals capture card data and PINs at compromised ATMs — and why the real theft happens later, somewhere else.
👉 Read the article:
https://www.cardozalawcorp.com/library/atm-skimming-2-0.cfm
How It Happens: Card Trapping (“Lebanese Loop”)
Sometimes an ATM doesn’t malfunction — it’s been sabotaged.
This article explains how criminals deliberately trap debit cards inside ATMs, retrieve them later, and use them to drain accounts without authorization — often while victims assume the bank already has their card.
👉 Read the article:
https://www.cardozalawcorp.com/library/how-it-happens-card-trapping.cfm
How It Happens: Fake Mobile Banking Apps
Sometimes the fraud doesn’t happen at an ATM — it happens on your phone.
This article explains how fake or compromised mobile banking apps steal credentials, hijack sessions, and allow criminals to move money without the victim’s authorization.
👉 Read the article:
https://www.cardozalawcorp.com/library/how-it-happens-fake-mobile-banking-apps.cfm
How It Happens: Phishing, Smishing, and Vishing
Sometimes the fraud doesn’t start with a hacked system — it starts with a message that looks like it came from your bank.
This article explains how criminals use fake emails, text messages, and phone calls to impersonate banks, steal credentials, and move money without the victim’s authorization.
👉 Read the article:
https://www.cardozalawcorp.com/library/how-it-happens-phishing-smishing-and-vishing.cfm
🔹 Future Articles in This Series
These topics are already in development:
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Shimming — the technique that breaks EMV chip security
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Other EMV Chip Bypass Techniques
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Real-Time Transaction Hijacking (“Invisible Heists”)
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Credential Stuffing After Data Breaches
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Advanced Banking Malware & OTP Interception
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Insider Threats and Rogue Employees
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Synthetic Identity Fraud — including government-record abuse and name-change manipulation
This index will be updated as new articles are added.
How to Use This Series
If you’re a victim:
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Start with the article that best matches what happened to you
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Pay attention to where you did not act
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Notice how often the real activity happens elsewhere
If you’re trying to understand a dispute:
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Focus on the mechanics
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Separate “credential use” from “authorization”
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Look for objective evidence, not assumptions
One Final Note
Banks authenticate systems.
They do not authenticate intent.
Understanding the difference is often the key to understanding what really happened.
🔗 Start Here
If you’re new to the series, begin with:
👉 How It Happens: ATM Skimming 2.0 — The Hardware-Store Hack
https://www.cardozalawcorp.com/library/atm-skimming-2-0.cfm
