There’s a new threat to ATM users, one that’s getting more commonplace, skimmers. Skimmers are devices used by scam artists to steal your financial information when you use the ATM. They consist of a digital card reader that is slipped over the opening in a legitimate ATM where you insert your card, and a nearby miniature camera that's focused on the machine's keypad, recording your PIN. Skimmers can be clunky and suspicious-looking; but the best ones are hard to notice. And they’re growing in popularity with the criminal element.
A skimmer was discovered late last month at an outside ATM at a bank in Clayton, before any accounts were compromised, according to Clayton police Detective Sgt. Jon Weidenbenner, who told the Post Dispatch that the skimmer was found because the perpetrators didn’t use enough glue, and a customer thought something was wrong. That skimmer stored stolen information within the device itself, which meant that the crooks had to retrieve it to tap into bank accounts, but Skimmers can often transmit the stolen information to a laptop computer. Although there have been few reports of skimmers in
St. Louis, banking officials feels it’s only a matter of time.
To avoid being the victim of skimmer theft:
— Avoid ATMs that are not affiliated with major financial institutions like banks and credit unions.
— Use ATMs in well-lit areas so you can examine the machine closely.
— Look for the flashing LED light near the card reader; if you can't see a
light, it might mean it's covered by a skimmer.
— Watch out for loose-fitting fascia or unusual changes in color and texture on
the plastic covering of the ATM near the card reader, and make sure that the
card reader is flush with the rest of the machine.
And while there’s no sure-fire way to detect whether a skimmer is attached to an ATM or debit card reader. The best advice is to use common sense and if the ATM looks like it has been tampered with, don't use it. If you strongly suspect something is wrong, talk to the bank or credit union and call 911.
