Credit Card Skimmers Are Active Near Us

On 09/18/10, a skimmer was placed on a Bank of America ATM at Washington Square mall in Tigard, Oregon.
On 09/19/10 and 09/26/10, Skimming devices were placed on the outside ATMs at the branch located at 10201 SE Washington Street Portland Oregon
Click HERE for photos.

How Skimmers Work
There are two big ways criminals use credit card skimmers to steal your information:

* The scammer installs a skimmer on an ATM or self-serve kiosk and captures your card information when you swipe your card at the kiosk. Sometimes the machine still works, and you never know anything is wrong. Sometimes the skimmer disables the machine, but you’ll just assume it’s out of order and move on.
* Or, they get a hold of your credit card and skim your card manually (an easy racket for an unscrupulous waiter who could do this when you hand over your card to pay the bill).
Unless you catch your server in the act of swiping your card against his or her body (they often keep skimmers hidden under clothing), you probably won’t know your card has been compromised this way until fraudulent charges appear on your statement. Fortunately, however, practicing a little vigilance can help you spot and avoid skimmers that are installed on self-service kiosks and ATMs.
How to Spot Skimmers


Credit card skimmers look just like the machines that merchants and ATMs use to legitimately swipe our plastic. Skimmers can come in all shapes and sizes. Some are so professional looking you might not be able to tell them apart from a real credit card machine; others (like the one my brother spotted) are sketchtastically homemade.


At ATMs or self-serve kiosks, high-quality skimmers may be attached on the outside of the legitimate card slot (so you put your card through both without realizing it). Lower-grade skimmers are attached in a location that’s not the actual credit card slot and just rely on you to notice the skimmer first and swipe your card through it. (Or the thieves may have disabled or covered up the legitimate card slot).


One final note: thieves that install skimmers on ATMs may also install a tiny camera that will attempt to record your PIN as you enter it. So it’s a good habit to always cover the keypad with your free hand as you punch in your numbers.
Where Can Skimmers Be Found?
* Automated teller machines (ATMs)
* Gas pumps
* Public transit ticket machines
* Movie theater ticket kiosks
* Red Box DVD rental machines
What To Do If You Find A Skimmer
If you suspect you’ve found a skimmer, call local police at once and notify the owners of the machine. If you fear you’ve used a skimmer, call your bank or credit card company and let them know. You and your bank can decide to cancel your card and replace it or simply keep an eye on your statement for any fraudulent activity.