Police Investigate Credit Card Skimmer Found At Wilton Grocery Store

WILTON, CT — Police in Wilton are looking into how a skimming device was installed on a card reader at a local grocery store.

According to Wilton Police Department officials, a cashier at Village Market on Old Ridgefield Road in Wilton was "purposely distracted" while someone installed the device there.

"Village Market is cooperating with police in the investigation but is unknown how long exactly this device was active," police said in a post on Facebook.

A skimmer is a device installed on card readers that collects their numbers. The thief will later recover the data and use it to make fraudulent purchases. The most popular spots to install the devices, usually by double-sided tape, are ATMs and gas stations, according to Forbes.

• Check for alignment issues between the card reader and panel underneath.
• Skimmers are typically placed on top of the actual card reader, making it stick out at an odd angle.
• Compare the card readers to others at neighboring registers or gas pumps and look for differences.
• A visual inspection of a card reader can often reveal fraud devices. Don’t hesitate to feel around and try to wiggle it to see if it easily comes out of place.

The police are encouraging residents to notify Det. Eva Zimnoch at 203-834-6260 if they spot "any suspicious activities;" reference Case #24-5086.