Living (and loving) Life
Skimmers are ingenious little devices that crooks place on ATM machines and gas pumps in order to steal your credit/debit card information.
These devices can sometimes be hard to detect, but if you know what to look for you can protect yourself.
The first thing to do before inserting your card into the machine’s card reader is closely inspect it for anything that appears to be out of the ordinary.
For example, does the card reader look like it actually belongs there as a part of the ATM or pump or does it appear to protrude, dangle or wobble when you touch it?
Are there spots or patches of dried glue on or near the card reader?
If the answer to either of these questions is yes, there is a good chance that the card reader is a fake.
If you look closely at the photo on the right you’ll notice that the card reader is clean and actually built in to the machine. In all likelihood, this would be a safe machine to use.
If the card reader looks OK, take a quick look around the immediate area. Look for a small camera that may have been hidden in the ceiling, under a stack of brochures, or anywhere else that one could conceivably be hidden.
Crooks use tiny cameras to record your finger presses as you enter your PIN, then use that data along with the info collected by the fake card reader to create duplicate cards – which are then used to empty your accounts.
If you see ANYTHING that looks suspicious during your brief inspection, DO NOT USE that ATM or gas pump. Go find another one.
If you do decide that the machine is safe to use, use your free hand to cover your working hand while punching in your PIN. And if you see another person lurking nearby, leave and go find another ATM or pump to use.
In general, bank ATMs are the safest while those located in convenience stores, supermarkets and malls are the riskiest. Likewise, well-lit pumps at busy gas stations are usually safer than the ones at other locations. And if possible, choose an available pump that’s relatively close to the store entrance.