Having a bank card skimmed and our account emptied is one of our biggest nightmares and now security experts are warning Irish people to be extra vigilant when using ATMs.

The Irish Sun reports that fraudsters have now come up with a new way of getting your bank card details and to be honest? It’s actually pretty scary.

Criminals have developed special number panels that fit over the keys on an ATM. This means that the ATM looks perfectly safe and normal to you, but when you type in your PIN number the fake panel records it. Once you’ve left, fraudsters can then simply remove the fake panel and get all of your details.

The worst part? According to security experts there’s no way we can know if a machine has been tampered with by simply looking at it – that’s how good these fake keypads are. The only way you can find out is by literally pulling the ATM apart.

Europol released the above image to warn the public of the new way fraudsters are operating

However, experts are urging account holders to looking out for anything suspicious on or around the machine and to try to use indoor ATMs wherever possible. For added safety they recommend choosing an ATM that is being monitored by a security camera and covering your PIN number as you type it in.

Card skimming causes major losses to individuals and businesses alike every single year and it’s becoming a growing problem in Ireland. Keep your wits about you and make sure you report anything suspicious about an ATM to the gardai.