High-tech cyber criminals have targeted UK supermarkets’ automated check-out systems with stolen credit card details.

A BBC investigation discovered a plan to steal US bank accounts via the checkout systems. Fake credit cards containing details from the accounts will be used to get cash or buy high value goods.

Don’t fear say the supermarkets targeted who believe there is little chance the fraudsters would make significant gains with their plan.

The BBC discovered the plot on a website forum, talking about credit card fraud. The thieves claim to possess details of US credit and debit cards taken from tapped phone lines between cash machines and banks.

The gang plans to copy details on to fake cards with magnetic strips and use them in UK stores Asda and Tesco. The gang will use self service tills so as to avoid confrontation with suspicious staff members.

Over the period of a month from mid-August the ringleader claims he will have details from 2300 cards to handle.

In the forum he declares: “Its (sic) shopping spree guys help me out and I will take care of you.”

Andrew Moloney, security evangelist at RSA, said the gang were involved in “classic” card fraud by cloning details on to magnetic stripes.

“We’ve seen a shift from card-present fraud to card-not-present to fraud abroad,” he said.

“The internet is the global marketplace,” he said. “It’s not difficult to take compromised cards from one country and exploit them in another. It’s a simple and routine procedure for these guys these days.”

Jacques Erasmus, from security firm Prevx, agreed that ‘cashing out’ abroad was a well established method. “They do not normally cash out in the same country,” he said, “just because it makes the law enforcement job that much harder.”

He said many criminal gangs even offer their fraudulent services via the web.

“They will do it for you in India and China,” he said.

The BBC has passed on details of the investigation to the cyber-fraud unit.