A SECRET Service Special Agent has warned shoppers about new and sophisticated devices that could steal people’s bank card information.
Officer Joe Scargill said these scam devices have been found at stores across the country.
3
3
Scargill, who was in charge of the Jacksonville, Florida, Field Office shared which signs shoppers need to look out for to make sure their details and money are safe.
Skimmers are devices that fraudsters have used to read and copy consumers’ credit card details.
These can take several forms, such as cameras that read PINs at ATMs or attachments placed over keypads or card readers.
Scargill warned that typical checks that some shoppers have started to adopt, such as looking for damage on a machine or feeling for loose parts, would no longer suffice, according to CW affiliate WJXT.
READ MORE ON SCAMS
“You can jiggle the front all you want,” he said.
“They haven’t tampered with the front of the device. So, it’s not going to move, or it shouldn’t move if it’s legitimate.”
The officer showed a tutorial video from the dark web that showed how to make a new skimmer.
This method involved placing a magnetic strip reader inside a card machine before putting it back in place.
Most read in The US Sun
Therefore, fraudsters would not have to put an extra reader or accessory on top of a pre-existing one.
“You can see in real-time, it’s not super complicated,” Scargill said.
These new skimmers have included card read technology on the inside of the device, so customers would not be able to spot anything different.
“You stick your card in. It steals the data off your card,” Scargill said.
“You pull your card out. You’ve got no idea that thing’s in there.”
“Very easy,” he added.
What is a skimmer device?
A skimmer device is a fraud tool designed to steal sensitive information from credit or debit cards during transactions.
- Imagine a skimmer device as a sneaky thief that hides on ATMs or card machines.
- Its job is to secretly steal your credit or debit card information when you use it for a transaction.
- These devices are like tiny spies that can copy your card details, including the card number and PIN, without you even realizing it.
- Skimmers can be cleverly disguised to look just like the regular card reader, making them hard to spot.
- Once they have your information, bad guys can use it to make fake cards or buy things without your permission, causing a lot of trouble and stress.
- It’s important to always be cautious and check for anything unusual on card machines before using them to protect yourself from these sneaky devices.
He also showed another type of upgraded fraud device found at stores.
A white small panel included a tiny pinhole camera.
This panel would then go above a keypad to view a person’s PIN code, however, the camera’s small size would make it difficult for people to spot.
He explained that fraudsters could use this information to make new cards or transactions soon after the data was obtained.
Read More on The US Sun
Scargill also showed a video of an incident where someone had used a key to open a gas pump and place a device.
The officer warned that these devices were constantly changing and improving so people always had to be on the lookout.
3
