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Criminals Now Attaching Credit Card Skimmers To Self-Checkout Terminals In Retail Stores

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Criminals have been using a tiny device called a skimmer to steal card information at ATMs. Now, self check-out terminals in retail stores have become a target.

As CBS2's Cindy Hsu reported, it takes just 2-seconds for criminals to pull out the skimming device and pop it into place. Perpetrators have made off with tens of thousands of dollars from dozens of victims.

ATM skimming has increased 546-percent from 2014 to 2015 with criminals turning to self checkout terminals to steal consumer data.

At places like convenience stores a skimmer can be placed on top of a card scanner while the clerk's back is turned.

"They download the information and put it on a duplicate card. Either a gift card or another credit card they have where they download the information onto this magnetic strip," explained Michael Sermetis with the Secret Service.

Then, they have your card information and are able to use it for any type of fraudulent purchases.

Matt Bretzius used an ATM inside an Atlantic City casino, the next morning his bank told him his card was being used to shop in Canada.

"It doesn't feel like it should be my responsibility to have to always text the security of like, where I'm taking my money from," he said.

With the roll out of chip-enabled cards skimming rates will decline, but as much as 30 percent of credit card holders have cards that don't have chips, and only 20 percent of card terminals are compatible.

Experts suggest covering the keypad when you enter you pin code, because sometimes thieves use micro cameras to capture that information.

There's also what are known as 'deep insert skimmer' which are hard to recognize because criminals place them inside cash machines.

The ATM maker NCR put out an alert to banks warning them about the new tactic.

 

 

 

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