Jefferson Police Investigating ATM Skimming At Local Bank

JEFFERSON, NJ— Jefferson Police are investigating possible ATM skimming at a local bank, police said in a statement.

The incidents occurred at the Lakeland Bank on Berkshire Valley Road between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2. Police believe only the ATM outside was affected.

So far, 20 victims have come forward. Police encourage anyone who has noticed fraudulent transactions to contact them immediately.

ATM skimming is similar to identity theft: thieves use hidden electronics installed on ATMs to steal the personal information stored on your card. They then record the PIN that you key in, giving the thieves full access to your accounts.

It can be hard to tell if an ATM has a skimmer on it. The device, which is pictured above, looks almost identical to a real ATM card slot.

Lakeland Bank has not yet returned a request for comment or issue a statement, but has been replying to customers on their Facebook page saying they are working with law enforcement to fix the issue.

Many customers posted their appreciation, saying their issues were resolved quickly and the money was already back in their accounts. Others complained that the bank was not being transparent enough about what was happening.

Image via Angus Fraser, Flickr