KENNEWICK, wash.- Credit and debit card information being stolen by card skimmers has increased. According to FICO card skimming has increased 368% since 2021.
According to the F.B.I. card skimming costs financial institutions more than $1 billion dollars each year.
The F.B.I. says card skimmers are devices placed on top of point-of-sale (POS) devices like card readers at gas station pumps or grocery store card readers. When the POS device is used to pay the skimmer will read your card information including any PIN number used.
To avoid being scammed by these devices the F.B.I. recommends using the gas pump closest to the gas station or is within sightline of the cashier. If the cashier can see the gas pump it is less likely to have had a skimmer installed.
The skimming devices can be difficult to spot at first according to Kennewick Police Department Criminal Investigations Commander Aaron Clem. However, there are warning signs to look out for.
According to Clem many card readers now have a red sticker or label indicating no tampering has occurred. However, if the card reader does not have a label or sticker look for loose corners or numbers that seem misaligned or incorrect. The skimming devices are often placed very quickly so imperfections happen.
According to FICO, a single card skimmer will compromise an average of 185 cards before being found or removed.
According to Clem, these skimmers are most common in high-traffic areas like gas stations during busy travel times.
“We would anticipate that there may be some coming. you know as we approach spring and summer when more people are traveling through the area. So just be aware of it and look for those scanners that may have something different about them” Said Commander Aaron Clem
If you believe you have found a card skimmer first you should notify the store or employee immediately to prevent anyone else from being skimmed. Second, you should contact the police so the skimmer can be properly investigated. And lastly, contact your bank or financial institution to be sure there is no fraudulent activity.
