Protecting the privacy of your Debit Card Personal Identification Number (PIN) is a top concern for prevention of criminal activity targeted at making illegal withdrawals from your savings or checking accounts. ATM Skimmers are devices that can be attached to an ATM or debit purchase machine by a criminal for the purpose of stealing your PIN which can provide access by the criminal to your accounts.
This article will provide information about ATM Skimmers and what to look for when you are making deposits, withdrawals or payments when using ATM or debit machines.
Here at Marquette Savings Bank we have made significant investments in keeping your accounts safe and secure. We continually look at trends in our area and found that ATM skimmers are becoming a much more popular fraud device due to more availability and cheaper prices of the devices.
Below are some common steps you should be following when inspecting our ATMs, as well as for everyday personal use, which are recommended by the top three security firms.
- Inspect the card reader and the area near the pin pad. Most skimming devices are designed to temporarily be affixed to the ATM or gas pump so they can be easily retrieved by the bad guys once they’ve collected a batch of cardholder data. If you think a scanning device doesn’t look like it matches the machines color and style, it might be a skimmer.
- Look at other nearby gas pumps or ATMs card readers to see if they match the one you are using. Unless running a large operation there will usually only be one skimming device. This is more true for gas pumps, but take a look at the pump next to you, does the card reader look the same?
- Trust your instincts. If in doubt, use another machine somewhere else. Our brains are excellent at recognizing things out of place. If something looks off to you, simply don’t use it.
- Avoid using your PIN number at the gas pump. Always run credit when given an option of debit vs. credit so you do not have to use your PIN number. If using your card where you must use your PIN, make sure to cover your entry with your other hand as many skimmers have a camera to watch what you input.
- Treat your card as cash and monitor your accounts. Treat your card as if it were cash, and never leave it out of site or unattended. Watch your statements, and bank accounts for any activity that you did not make.
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