We made it to another fraud Friday! Today our focus will be on Skimming.
There have been some stories in the news this month concerning Debit/Credit Card Skimmers. On 2/15/2025 it was reported that two credit card skimmers were found at separate businesses in Anniston, and on 2/24/2025 an arrest was made in Centre after a skimmer was found at one of the points of sale (POS) in a grocery store. Any time you use a debit or credit card there is the chance that someone has placed a skimmer in the card reader. What are skimmers? How can you tell if the ATM, gas pump, POS terminal is safe to use? Let’s dive into learning what to look for and ways to protect yourself and your information.
Skimming occurs when a scammer illegally installs or places a device inside ATMs, POS terminals, or fuel pumps in order to capture debit/credit card data and record cardholder’s PIN entries. The criminals then take the data and create fake cards which they use to steal from their victims through unauthorized purchases. It is estimated that skimming costs consumers and financial institutions more than $1 BILLION each year! Have you ever had a random charge on your card and have no idea where it came from? You could have unknowingly used your card somewhere that a dishonest person placed one of these devices. It is always a good idea to keep a check on your account to look for any unauthorized or strange activity. Report any suspicious transactions as soon as possible as we have a limited time to be able to dispute these items.
Fuel pump skimmers are usually attached to the internal wiring of the machine and not really visible to the customer. These devices store information to be downloaded or wirelessly transferred by the scammers later. You should try and choose a pump closer to the store that can easily be seen by an attendant. These pumps are less likely to be targeted by scammers as it would be harder for them to be able to install a device without being caught. I always recommend running your debit card as credit at a gas pump. This not only prevents a potential large hold being placed on your funds by the gas station but also keeps you from having to enter a PIN number at the pump. However, if you choose to enter your PIN, always examine the keypad before using. Check for any inconsistencies in color, material, or shape. Anything that looks suspicious could potentially be a keypad overlay that has been placed to capture PIN numbers. Another choice would be to go inside and pay the attendant instead of swiping your card at the pump. This option might be more time consuming but those few extra steps inside the store could save your information from getting compromised. And if there is tap-to-pay available and your card is compatible, use it. Tap-to-pay is more secure, and you are less likely to have your information stolen using that method.
Protect yourself!! Inspect ATMs, POS terminals, and any other card reader before using. Look for anything loose, crooked, damaged, or scratched and don’t use it if you see something unusual. If possible, use ATMs in well-lit or indoor locations. While they still have the capability of being compromised, they are less vulnerable targets. Also, when possible, use debit/credit cards with chip technology. There are far fewer skimmers out there that steal chip data as opposed to the magnetic strip. Always review your account and report anything suspicious as soon as possible. By knowing what to look for, we can all learn to safeguard ourselves and each other from this type of fraud.
