In today’s society, we use credit cards on a daily basis. We whip out those little pieces of plastic to make purchases online, to fill our cars up with gas and to stock up our pantry with groceries.
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While these cards are convenient and allow
users to avoid carrying around stacks of cash in their wallets or purses, they
are susceptible to fraudulent use if anyone gets ahold of a card’s vital
information.
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What Is Credit Card Skimming
One of the most common types of credit card
fraud is called skimming. Credit card skimming is when the numbers and personal
information (such as PIN codes or other protected data) is stolen during an
ordinary, legitimate transaction. Skimming can be as simple as a sales
associate at a store memorizing or jotting down your card’s numbers while
you’re not looking, or as complicated as sophisticated electronic equipment
attached to seemingly normal credit card terminals. Oftentimes, credit card skimming
can be difficult to detect before it is too late, and even then it can be tough
for consumers to determine exactly where the information theft occurred.
Places Where Credit Card Skimming Is Most
Likely To Occur
Credit card skimming can happen anywhere
that you use your card. The thief could be the proprietor of a business, an
entry-level sales associate or even a third party who installed a card-reading
device without the business’ knowledge. Some situations are more likely to be
targeted by card skimmers than others, so understanding a few of the most
common methods will allow you to stay alert when a potentially threatening
situation presents itself.
ATMs – Automated teller machines are the
most common place for advanced credit card skimming to occur. This is because
these machines often have little to no security, and are not routinely checked
unless a problem is noted. Credit card thieves are known to routinely installed
third-party electronic devices over the top of the ATM’s credit card reader.
The device is small and often identical to the legitimate equipment, making it
almost undetectable to the untrained consumer. This piece of electronics
records the information off of the credit card, while a discreet camera is
generally set up to record PIN numbers.
Restaurants – Restaurants give skimmers
direct access to diners’ credit cards. When you are ready to pay your bill,
your server will likely take your card out of your site, to the location of
their payment processing device. This gives an unsavory waiter or waitress a
change to write down your information or use a device to record the information
off of your card’s magnetic strip.
Call Centers – Call centers are another
common place where credit card skimming occurs. Most often, these call centers
pay their employees a minimal wage, and many times they are located overseas in
countries where the average quality of life is lower. These locations provide a
perfect place for a credit card skimmer to access your data. When you give your
credit card out over the phone, there is often little oversight of what the
person on the other end is doing with your data.
How You Can Avoid Becoming A Victim
While anyone can be a victim of credit card
skimming, taking a few precautions can greatly reduce your chances of being
affected.
Use ATMs located at busy bank branches.
These are more likely to be monitored and inspected regularly than those in
remote locations.
Before swiping your card at any unmonitored
terminal such as an ATM or gas pump, gently wiggle the card reader to assure
that it is not a false cover.
Always cover the PIN pad when using an ATM
or other public device to enter your four digit code.
Avoid using your credit card in places
where they take the card out of your sight. In order to combat this problem,
many restaurants now process your card at your table with a tablet or portable
credit card terminal.
Check your statement regularly, and notify
your bank or credit card issuer as soon as potentially fraudulent transactions
are noted.
Credit card skimming is a problem that can
happen to anyone, often without them noticing until their next card statement.
Avoid using your credit card and remote locations which are unmonitored or
unsecured, and don’t let store or restaurant employees take your card out of
your sight. Most banks and card issuers have policies in place to help you
recover your money if you become a victim of fraud, but the process is often a
lengthy one which can cripple you financially until it is resolved. Becoming a
smart consumer and minimizing your chances of becoming a victim of credit card
skimming is the best line of defense against this common crime.
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