With the cost of living rocketing, the criminal community is busy concocting devious ways of generating money, always at the expense of the innocent. In particular, outdoor payment terminals, cash machines and pin pads have become an attractive target for card skimmers intending to collect and exploit customers’ card data.
What is card skimming?
Card skimming is the theft of credit and debit card data and PIN numbers when the user is at an automated teller machine (ATM) or point of sale (POS).
Card skimming allows thieves to steal money from accounts, make purchases and sell card information to unscrupulous third parties. Generally, the scam involves modified payment card reader hardware that fits over an existing genuine payment device or ATM. The bogus reader collects and passes on payment card information to the thief. Furthermore, personal identification numbers (PINs) may be captured using a keypad overlay or hidden camera.
Prevention is the best policy
To safeguard your payment devices against fraudsters, it is important to make regular checks of the equipment to look for skimming devices, especially if the site isn’t protected by an effective deterrent, such as closed-circuit television (CCTV).
To provide a visual comparison for future checks, it is a good idea to take a photo of the terminal on installation or once satisfied that it is free from skimming devices.
Skimming devices can be quite difficult to spot, as they have been purposely designed to resemble regular card readers and may even be fitted over the whole device.
What to look for:
o Is the card reader in alignment with the panel underneath it?
o Is the card reader firm or does it feel slightly loose?
o Look inside the card reader for a thin plastic circuit board.
o Is any part of it crooked or damaged?
o Are the graphics aligned and does the colour look correct?
o Are there any cables that look out of place?
o Is there any damage to the touchscreen?
o Are there any new scratches that haven’t been noticed before?
o In some instances mini cameras are installed to collect PIN data – so check for any unusual additions around the facia directly in line with the pin pad.
Carrying out these simple checks on a regular basis can help to prevent card fraud – don’t be a victim!
