SKIMMING devices that capture shoppers’ data have been found in stores, prompting cops to issue an urgent plea.
Investigators in Louisiana have warned unscrupulous fraudsters are becoming more brazen after skimmers were found in three stores.
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Police revealed that such a device had been found at a store in River Ridge – a suburb of New Orleans – last month, according to the ABC affiliate WGNO-TV.
The skimming device was found near a checkout station inside the outlet.
It reads the card’s magnetic strip and transfers the data into the hands of fraudsters.
Another skimming device was unearthed at a store in Harvey, located around eight miles from New Orleans.
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Cops have launched a probe and revealed they arrested Petru Golban, 32.
Surveillance footage allegedly showed Golban planting a device in a store, according to police.
He faces charges of theft by skimming as well as conspiracy to commit bank fraud
Police have warned how skimming devices are starting to appear inside stores – rather than just at ATMs.
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“The criminals are getting more brazen, and we are now starting to see a new trend of them being placed on credit/debit card readers at checkouts inside retail stores,” Randy Smith, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff, said.
It’s not just law enforcement teams in Louisiana that have warned shoppers about the risks of skimming devices.
State officials in Pennsylvania have warned about the risks of having food stamps stolen via skimming devices.
The U.S. Sun has reported how skimmers were found inside Walmart stores and 7-Eleven outlets.
In April, two skimming devices were found by a checkout register inside a Walmart supermarket in Bayonne, New Jersey within a matter of weeks.
The FBI has said criminals have designed skimming devices to make them difficult to spot.
What is a skimmer device?
A skimmer device is a fraud tool designed to steal sensitive information from credit or debit cards during transactions.
- Imagine a skimmer device as a sneaky thief that hides on ATMs or card machines.
- Its job is to secretly steal your credit or debit card information when you use it for a transaction.
- These devices are like tiny spies that can copy your card details, including the card number and PIN, without you even realizing it.
- Skimmers can be cleverly disguised to look just like the regular card reader, making them hard to spot.
- Once they have your information, bad guys can use it to make fake cards or buy things without your permission, causing a lot of trouble and stress.
- It’s important to always be cautious and check for anything unusual on card machines before using them to protect yourself from these sneaky devices.
Fraudsters have designed the theft tools to blend in with the card machine.
The tiny skimming device captures information as shoppers enter their PIN or swipe their cards.
Fraudsters sometimes plant a camera that captures a shopper inputting their PIN and tracking their movement.
Shoppers have been urged to shield their PIN with one hand just in case any cameras have been planted nearby.
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Customers should inspect the card reader before they swipe or enter their details.
They should use a different machine if the terminal looks crooked or faulty.
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https://www.the-sun.com/news/11586375/skimming-devices-credit-card-data-shoppers-louisiana/