August 31, 2010
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News: Man Discovers Skimmer On ATM
An alert SunTrust Bank customer discovered a debit and credit card skimming device on one of the bank's North Naples, Florida's automatic teller machines (ATM). The customer said he thought something was suspicious when he had difficulty sliding his debit card into the debit and credit card scanning device. The cardholder told the police that he yanked the card reader off the machine to reveal the skimmer device which had been placed over the debit and credit card real card slot. The customer did not immediately report the incident to the authorities because it had occurred on early Sunday morning. Instead, he took the skimmer device home with him and then went to the bank first thing Monday to report it.
Thieves use a mini camera to capture the debit and credit card's personal identification number (PIN) or zip code. The police searched the area for a camera and found a spot that looked as though a camera had been attached; however, the camera was gone. An ATM surveillance camera captured a suspect attaching the devices, but he wore a big hat and sunglasses making it difficult to get any positive id. These types of skimming devices are used by thieves to capture debit and credit card information while mini cameras are used to capture the cardholder's PIN and zip codes.
The Collier County Sheriff's office recommend that credit cardholders take extra precaution when using ATM and should be aware of their surroundings. Special care should be taken in dark places or area that are unguarded. Cardholders should examine the machine for any strange looking devices or cameras nearby. If anything suspicious such as sticky residue on the face of the device or if it looks different from other machines, cardholders should notify the bank. Additionally, if the PIN key pad is difficult to punch or feels resistant, it could be a sign that an overlay is attached. Lastly, cardholders should always cover the keypad with their hand when entering their PIN or zip code to block any possible view from a camera.