Police warn of ‘cash trapping’ scam in Algarve

GNR police in the Algarve are warning people to be vigilant when withdrawing money from cash dispensing machines after a number of ATMs in Loulé were found to have been tampered with as part of a ‘cash trapping’ scam.

In a statement a spokesperson for the force explained: “Over the weekend the National Republican Guard [GNR] detected situations of ‘Cash Trapping’ at ATMs located in the municipality of Loulé.”

It went on to explain that the scam consists of the illicit obstruction of the notes being withdrawn by covering the outflow slot with a metal plate or piece of plastic covered with a sticky substance.

The illegally-placed ‘foreign element’ “serves to prevent the outflow of notes, leading users to believe that the machine is not working properly and is not dispensing the money.

