How to spot a credit card skimming device
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The Salt Lake City Police Department is putting out a safety warning on skimming devices following a recent incident.
In a press release, SLCPD said that they responded to a convenience store near 100 South Main Street on reports of fraud in early March.
Police said the store manager found an unauthorized credit card reader on the ground. Upon further inspection of the store’s ATM, employees noticed a fake number pad on the machine’s keypad. Police said there is no information on who tampered with the ATM.
Following this, police wanted to share tips on how others can avoid these devices and keep their information secure.
A photo of a fake keypad used during an ATM skimming scheme in Salt Lake City. (Salt Lake City Police Department) A photo of a fake keypad used during an ATM skimming scheme in Salt Lake City. (Salt Lake City Police Department)
Police said that skimming devices can be secretively installed in fuel dispensers, point-of-sale terminals and ATMs, which criminals use to illegally harvest financial information.
SLCPD explained that skimming devices have become more realistic and harder to detect over the years. According to the press release, skimmers use technology that captures data within a bank card’s magnetic strip, as well as fake keypads to get access to a user’s PIN.
Police said to combat this, “manufacturers of point-of-sale devices and ATMs continue to introduce new technology that helps prevent and detect device tampering”.
“The best way to prevent becoming a victim, however, is being very alert when using a point-of-sale device and ATMs, especially stand-alone or self-service devices,” the press release said.
Police said that people should inspect ATM and point-of-sale devices for any signs of tampering before using them — which can look like scratches, loose hardware, exposed wiring, inconsistent coloring compared the rest of the device, and unusual wear patterns.
Other advice is to feel around the cardholder and keypad for signs of tampering, including loose connections or exposed glue or tape.
SLCPD said if you come across a suspicious device, to notify the business and call 801-799-3000 to file a non-emergency report.
If you see someone tampering with an ATM or point-of-sale device, they said to call 911.
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