By Emily Mibach
Daily Post Staff Writer
The skimmer, which records card information for thieves to download later, was reported to police on May 23 just after 8 p.m., according to police spokeswoman Nicole Acker.
In August 2021, a skimmer had been found at the same bank at 633 Santa Cruz Ave. That time, the skimmer had been jammed into an ATM and a technician had found it when trying to fix the ATM.
The FBI says that people using an ATM should look out for:
· A hidden camera on or near the ATM to record people when they enter their PINs.
· The skimmer itself, which may look similar to a card reader, but could curve outward or not line up properly with the rest of the machine
· A keypad placed directly on top of the ATM’s keypad.
The FBI also warns that it can be harder to spot a skimmer on a gas pump because those skimmers are typically attached inside of the machine and aren’t visible to customers. The FBI’s tips include picking fuel pumps closer to the attendant, paying inside or being sure to cover the keypad when you enter your PIN.
Police are still investigating the crime, so further information as to how the skimmer was placed on the machine was not available.
Pay inside at the gas station and get cash inside at the branch. Common sense.
Thanks for the common sense tips. In my experience, though, my bank’s lobby has been closed since Covid so my only option is the ATM. Add to it i have frequented gas stations that,while open after hours, there isn’t an attendant on duty, which means that again,my only option is the ATM.
A picture of how this skimmer looks should be posted up along side with ATM machines or gasoline pumps as to warn or prevent wrongful use of this gadget.