Try these tips for foiling card skimmers:. These are the most likely targets for skimmer action. Deal directly with a teller or cashier when exchanging money.
ATMs and other kiosks may be convenient, but you reduce your likelihood of being skimmed by avoiding them where possible. Be on the lookout for damaged card readers. Any evidence of tampering should be seen as suggesting a fraudster may be at work.
Whereas avoiding skimming attacks requires increased vigilance during transactions, bolstering your defenses against scanning attacks can be achieved with some gadgetry and strategy. While proactively outfoxing the fraudsters is an admirable plan of attack, it may not always keep you safe; crooks have a way of staying one step ahead of everyone. The best protection is being doggedly aware of your spending. This means religiously reading your credit card statements every month and keeping track of your receipts as points of reference.
When it comes to protecting against fraud and identity theft online, having an internet security solution with identity theft protection and secure browsing features can make the difference when it comes to online payments. It only takes minutes to enroll.
Editorial note: Our articles provide educational information for you. Norton LifeLock offerings may not cover or protect against every type of crime, fraud, or threat we write about. Our goal is to increase awareness about cyber safety. Please review complete Terms during enrollment or setup. Remember that no one can prevent all identity theft or cybercrime, and that LifeLock does not monitor all transactions at all businesses.
Start your protection, enroll in minutes. How to detect and help avoid credit card skimming 1. Make sure the machine is in a brightly lit area where lots of people walk past it often.
These may be mounted near the keypad, so always cover your hand while you type in a PIN. C: Compare the card reader and keypad to the rest of the machine. Card skimming theft can affect anyone who uses their credit or debit cards at ATMs, gas stations, restaurants or retail stores. A skimmer is a device installed on card readers that collects card numbers.
Thieves will later recover and use this information to make fraudulent purchases. Skimmers can usually be spotted by doing quick visual or physical inspections before swiping or inserting a card. Skimmers and related technology can be hard to spot because thieves will attempt to make their devices blend in or match the style of the card readers.
Before using an ATM or gas pump, check for alignment issues between the card reader and the panel underneath it. Skimmers are often placed on top of the actual card reader making it stick out at an odd angle or cover arrows in a panel.
Compare the card reader to others at a neighboring ATM or gas pump and look out for any differences. Gas pumps should have a security tape or sticker over the cabinet panel.
If the tape looks ripped or broken, avoid using the card reader because a thief may have tampered with it. Try looking inside the card reader to see if anything is already inserted—if there is, it may be a thin plastic circuit board that can steal card information. A physical inspection of a card reader and keypad can often reveal fraudulent devices.
Feel around the reader and try to wiggle it to see if it can easily come out of place. The FTC has a photo example of a card skimming device on their website. Make sure the card reader looks as it should. If a restaurant is involved in a scam, there may be no way to know because cards are often handed to the server who can then swipe the card through a skimmer before giving it back to the customer. Stay vigilant when using a credit card to pay for gas or when withdrawing cash at an ATM.
Cover fingers with the other hand while entering a pin to block potential cameras. These are often scams designed to steal credit card information. Thieves will use stolen card information in a few different ways: a thief can make their own fake credit cards, make fraudulent purchases online or sell the stolen information on the internet.
Luckily fraudulent charges on a credit card are easier to dispute than charges made using debit card information. Many credit cards have a zero liability policy, which means in case of fraud, the cardholder has no responsibility to pay back those funds to the issuer.
When making purchases at a gas station, opt to use a credit card instead of a debit card to take advantage of this extra protection. Another option is to pay for gas inside with the cashier, where the POS system is less likely to have been tampered with. Regularly monitor credit card activity by actively checking bank statements or even better by accessing the account online.
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