ATM Skimmer Found At Fremont Convenience Store: Police

FREMONT, CA — Police say they're investigating after an ATM skimmer was found at a convenience store in Fremont earlier this month.

A maintenance technician was at the store on Fremont Boulevard on Saturday, July 18, when they found the skimmer attached to an ATM and reported it, according to the Fremont Police Department.

Police did not identify which store the skimmer was found in or say how long they suspect it was there.

"The device was a keypad designed to closely mimic the appearance of the ATM’s original keypad, as well as a card reader to capture payment data," The Fremont Police Department said in its weekly crime report. "The device was removed from the machine."

The FBI says criminals use data from skimmers to create fake cards, which they then use to make unauthorized purchases or steal a victim's bank accounts.

Criminals will place these skimmers at gas station fuel pumps, ATMs or point of sale devices often used in businesses to process customer payments, according to the FBI.

The FBI estimates that skimming costs financial institutions and people in the United States more than $1 billion each year.

Inspecting the ATM or payment terminals, including pulling at the edges of the keypad before entering the PIN, could be a useful technique to avoid becoming the victim of a skimming device, according to the FBI.

It also recommended the following:

• If possible, use ATMs in a well-lit, indoor location., These may still be compromised, but are less-vulnerable targets.
• Be especially alert for skimming devices in tourist areas, since these are popular targets.
• When possible, use debit and credit cards with chip technology. Fewer devices in the U.S. steal chip data than magnetic strip data. However, the mag-stripe data on the backs of these cards is still vulnerable.
• Avoid using your debit card when you have linked accounts, since the card's compromise will give criminals access to all of the accounts. Use a credit card instead.
• Routinely monitor your credit card, bank, and EBT or other benefits accounts to promptly identify any unauthorized transactions. If possible, set email or text-message alerts to notify you of card or account transactions.