Over the last few years, criminal groups have been able to empty people's bank accounts by stealing their credit card account number and key codes at point-of-sale machines. Photo: CFP

It's Friday evening and another long work week is finally over. As you leave the office, your thoughts turn to the coming weekend - maybe you'll meet up with friends for dinner and drinks, maybe you'll go shopping, or maybe you'll jump on a high-speed train and get out of the city for a few days. But before you do anything, you'll need to stop by a cash point and grab some money.

You swing by an ATM, insert your card and type in your PIN. But something is wrong. The machine says your transaction cannot be completed. Trying again, you reinsert your card and password - only to get the same message. What is going on? There should be plenty of money in your account. You haven't made any big transactions recently. But checking your balance, your jaw hits the ground.

Your account is empty.

As you piece together what's happened to your money, you learn that your bank card details were likely cloned - meaning that the information contained on its magnetic stripe was copied and used to withdraw funds from your account. Accounts can be cloned any number of ways, including through point-of-sales card readers and ATMs that have been modified to record account details and passwords. In many cases, the perpetrator could be in a different jurisdiction from the victim, which only complicates efforts to track down fraudsters and recover ill-gotten bank funds.

Every day, countless people across the world are blindsided by the sort of experience described above. Shanghai residents are no less vulnerable. In fact, according to a recent report in the Yangcheng Evening News, an Italian expat in Shanghai identified as "Rafael" was shocked to learn that 220,000 yuan ($35,820) had been drained from a bank account associated with his auto parts business in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, leaving only 361 yuan remaining.

Police in Shanghai reportedly told Rafael that he would have to contact the bank in Guangzhou where the account was originally opened. Based on reports of similar cases, this is standard procedure in suspected cases of account cloning in China.

Reports on the incident quoted Rafael as saying: "I have a lot of friends that do business in China. We all have Chinese bank accounts and use Chinese debit cards. We never realized that our money could be at risk. How can we recover our trust back?"

As of yet, it remains uncertain whether the bank or police will be able to help Rafael recover his stolen money - let alone his trust. According to reports, experts say that long-distance bank fraud cases can be hard to solve.

While stories like Rafael's are still relatively rare - or at least rare enough to garner media attention - his case raises some interesting questions: how well do any of us understand the risks of bank account fraud? Do we think about account security as we use our cards to go shopping or pay for other expenses? Is account security a concern? The Global Times recently took to the street to find out what members of Shanghai's foreign community think about this issue.

Maude, teacher, the UK

I don't think much about security, and if my card were stolen I don't know how I would cancel it. Although I have friends I could ask. Stories like this do make you realize that security is not as advanced as you may think - if you can turn around and find your bank account is empty, well, that's scary. But people are lazy. I haven't ever even changed my PIN number.

Richard, teacher, Germany

I have a bank card, but I prefer to pay with cash - it's because I'm German. In the US, it's normal to pay with a credit card, but in Germany we have a saying: "Only cash is true." For me, I prefer to just use cash … and my last choice would be to use my card.

Actually, I have left my card in an ATM. The thing about China is that first you take your money and then you take your card. In Germany, it's the other way around. I was here several years ago and at that time I left my card several times. I just went to the bank and got a new card, with no problems at all!

Dave Benne, teacher, the UK

When I first got to China, I tried not to use my (local) bank card to buy things. But this was more as a way to budget than because of security. I don't really think about security much, although I have left my card in the machine once or twice. It's easy to do as the machines here give you your money first, and then the card. It's a hassle, but I've always got it back again okay.

Maria, marketing, Spain

I have a Chinese bank account - actually, two accounts. I use them to make purchases, especially in restaurants. Maybe I should think more about account safety, but actually in China everything seems to be safe.

I've never heard of anyone having money taken from their account, but I heard a story once - it was probably a mistake - about someone who was charged 6,000 yuan at a restaurant instead of 600. But I think the problem got solved. But no cases of fraud, no. In such a case, I would immediately go to the bank and try to talk to the people there.

I don't use online banking. I only use my card to withdraw money and pay at restaurants really. I've never had any issues.

Hawa, student, France

I'm studying Chinese language at a university here in Shanghai … I don't have a bank account, and I don't plan to open one. I have a bank account in France and I prepared all the money I would need before I came. For expenses and shopping, I pay with cash.

Tobe, designer, France

It is a worry, yes, but in some cases maybe look closer to home for the culprit. In this case, maybe the guy's wife took the money. But it is not right if people can just take the money from your account without permission.

Global Times