Police department expands statement on recent skimming thefts of credit/debit card numbers: ◆ Police department offers tips prevent theft of credit/debit card numbers By GAIL JIMENEZ Community Services Officer Winters Police Department Since the beginning of June, the Winters Police Department has taken several reports of fraudulent credit/ATM card access number thefts. Victims have made legitimate purchases at Chevron, AM/PM, Putah Creek Café, Berryessa Sporting Goods, and Town and Country Market before the fraudulent charges first appeared. Most of the fraudulent charges have been in the latter part of May on the east coast in Maryland and Massachusetts; however one transaction took place in France. The transactions have been for small amounts ranging from $20 to $200. Card numbers are usually obtained through a skimming device. Skimming devices can be installed over the top of legitimate card readers and pin pads. Additionally the legitimate card readers can be removed and a skimmer installed in its place. Skimmers can also be installed inside ATMs and fuel pumps, and send stolen credit card numbers wirelessly to the suspect. When the customer swipes their card through the device, the information on the card is stored in the skimmer. When the skimmer is removed, suspects load the stored credit card information onto other cards and begin making purchases. By the time banks have alerted their members to the issue, thousands of dollars could be lost. Tips to prevent card access number thefts: Before using a card reader, try to move the device. Most skimmers are temporarily set over the legitimate device and will move when shaken. Look at the card reader and see if it matches others in the area. This is especially useful at fuel pumps since suspects usually only alter one. If lights are not active at one pump, but are present on other pumps, it can indicate an issue with the hardware. Trust your instincts. People are hardwired to recognize patterns, if something seems wrong to you, don’t use the device. Avoid using your PIN number. Using your PIN means direct access to your bank account. If there is an issue, it is better to use a credit card with a finite amount of money and established safeguards to dispute charges. Keep an eye on your accounts. Make sure you check over your financial statements to ensure all charges are legitimate. If you locate signs of a skimmer installed on a credit card device or believe you are a victim of credit card access number theft, contact the Winters Police Department, 795-4561.
Posted on: Fri, 07 Jun 2013 21:37:28 +0000
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