Card skimmer found on ATM Machine at a DC 7-Eleven

Tosin Fakile
·2 min read

WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) continue to find more card skimmers at stores across the District.

On Tuesday, MPD said another card skimmer was found at a 7-Eleven, located at 3433 Connecticut Avenue in Northwest D.C.

“I’m probably like, never going to use my chip again,” said Jack McKenna, a frequent customer of that 7-Eleven.

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Tuesdays incident at the 7-Eleven made it the sixth store found with skimmers, all within about a month in the District.

A police report obtained by DC News Now showed that the card skimmer at the 7-Eleven convenience store was found on an ATM Machine.

The report showed that an ATM tech found the card skimmer on the machine at around 7 p.m. The report also stated, that the tech was there to fix a card reader error when they noticed a strange white light on the reader, a black stripe and an SD chip reader that did not belong to the reader.

That’s when the tech realized it was a card skimmer.

“I don’t know how to tell a skimmer from a non-skimmer. So, i feel like it’s just kind of a game of chance when you go to buy stuff, which isn’t the best,” McKenna said. “I guess you just got to be vigilant, though. Checking like my credit history and stuff like that to make sure my information is compromised.”

Other card skimmers around D.C. were found at two Harris Teeter locations, two Safeway’s and a Wawa between the end of March and from last week.

“I usually tap it and I’m pretty sure when you tap, the skimmer doesn’t catch it,” McKenna said. “Assuming that tapping really is a safe way to go. Other than that, I’m not sure if I’ll show up at a 7-Eleven again for a while.”

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MPD said it was looking for the suspects they believe placed the skimmers at stores across the District.

Police said before making card transactions at machines, always check the following:

  • Make sure the device isn’t able to be moved or budges when touched.

  • Compare your machine to the one next to you, if applicable.

  • Check the alignment of the card reader and the panel underneath it.

  • Look inside of the card reader before inserting your card.

  • If you see or suspect a card skimmer, please contact police immediately at 911.

  • Notify your bank immediately if you suspect you have been a victim of card skimming.

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