ATM Skimmer Found At Bowie 7-Eleven: Police

BOWIE, MD — Check your banking information, a card-skimming device was found Wednesday inside an ATM at 7-Eleven, 6860 Racetrack Road. Bowie Police say it is unclear how long the skimmer was in place. If you used that ATM, notify your bank and check your accounts for unusual activity, officials say.

The skimming devices are able to capture a credit or debit card’s electronic data while the cameras capture the user putting in their PIN, which puts your banking information at risk. The skimmers are used anywhere there are card readers: grocery stores, banks, gas stations, and stand-alone ATM machines.

How does this work? Thieves install a look-a-like device over the existing ATM card reader and the device captures your card information. They may even install a camera or overlay a keypad to capture your PIN. Thieves then sell the information or make clones of your card and use it online.

What should you look out for so that you can avoid having your financial information stolen from a skimmer? If you see obvious signs of tampering, or the machine looks suspicious or different than normal, don't use it, experts say.

"One giveaway that you might be at risk is if a terminal looks especially wide — since any overlay skimmer piece will inevitably take up extra space," says Mic.com.

Not sure what a card-skimming device looks like? This website shows various skimmers on ATMs, so you know what to look for in the future.

And as a Patch reader shared, be wary of ATMs at stores, because they might not be checked regularly for skimmers. Also, it’s not a bad idea to use cash at gas stations and other spots where thieves might have an opportunity to attach skimming devices.

Banking websites and police have tips to help foil skimmers. Last week, the Federal Trade Commission issued a warning to consumers, saying that while skimmers aren't new, emerging technology is making them smaller and harder to spot.

How to Protect Your ATM Card

• Use secure ATM machines under video surveillance or inside a bank lobby. They’re less likely to be tampered with.
• Pay careful attention to what the card reader and keypad normally look like on the ATMs you use most frequently.
• Don’t use an ATM if the card reader appears to be added on, fits poorly or is loose. Some thieves place a fake box over the card slot that reads and records account and PIN numbers.
• Inspect the machine for items that were installed over or around the PIN pad of the ATM. Look for an attachment on the ATM that contains a small hole that is pointed in the direction of the PIN pad.
• Lightly tug the area of the card slot. Most skimming devices are attached with double-sided tape for quick removal by the crooks.
• Cover the keypad with your other hand while typing your PIN. This is the best way to ensure that your PIN number is not recorded.

If the keypad backlight is off, that's another warning sign that a skimming device could be installed, the Mic.com article says.

Also, if the chip reader is deeper than normal, beware.
A rule of thumb (no pun intended): If your card goes so deep into a chip reader that you can't keep a thumb on it, that's a sign there could be a skimmer installed, Mic.com reports.

Patch Editor Kara Seymour contributed to this story.
»Patch file photos from various police departments