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Prevent Card Skimming Fraud
There is recent news about card skimming fraud happening in St. Louis County areas. We want to remind our members and community to be careful where you use your card and always do a scan before inserting your card into gas pumps, ATMs, vending machines, etc.
Card skimmers collect data from your debit and credit cards’ magnetic strip, allowing scammers to access your accounts and other personal information.
How Card Skimming Happens
Skimmers read the magnetic strip on a card when it is swiped at a point-of-sale machine or ATM. Skimmers can also record PIN entries.
A skimming device is not obvious at first glance. Devices installed on the outside of card reading machines can look like they belong there. Some devices are attached inside the card slot, making it even harder to detect. The skimming device reads and collects your card information.
If you notice a skimming device is present after you inserted your card, you should call local authorities and your financial institution immediately. Unfortunately, most people never notice the device until it’s too late.
Avoid Getting Skimmed
Before you insert your card into any machine, do a visual scan. Make sure the card reader isn’t loose or damaged, look to make sure the graphics are still aligned and that the card reader isn’t a different color from the rest of the machine. Look for any signs of tape or gluey residue around the card reader. If anything looks a little off or suspicious, do not use that machine. Better to be safe than sorry.
Non-bank ATMs are considered the most common machines targeted by criminals installing skimmers. Be extra wary if you are using a non-bank ATM. Look at the keypad for loose, mismatched, or spongy-feeling buttons before you insert your card and enter your PIN.
Pay inside instead of paying at the pump for gas, especially if your gas station does not have contact-less payment methods like tap to pay.
Sign up for account alerts at your financial institution. It won’t alert you if your card is skimmed, but it can alert you if you have unauthorized online banking logins or unauthorized charges on your card. Check your account regularly and know what is coming out and when.
Use mobile wallet or contactless payments (tap to pay). Tap to pay are generally safer than other payment methods because each transaction creates a unique, encrypted code that is sent to the payment terminal, providing extra security to protect your personal information. The chips in contactless cards are much harder to tamper with or clone.
Always stay aware of your surroundings and vigilantly protect your payment information! Being extra cautious could save you from falling victim of identity theft.
