Officials with Cecilian Bank say that on Saturday for a short period time, an ATM skimmer was placed on the bank’s Brandenburg branch ATM.
Bank officials said the institution has contacted each customer who used the machine during that time, “and have taken proper precautions to avoid fraud.”
Law enforcement has also been contacted.
“Through the years, FDIC Consumer News has warned readers to be on the lookout for keystroke-recording devices on ATMs or checkout registers,” the bank said in a statement.
The bank reminds consumers with following information to be aware of the different kinds of skimming devices and what to look for what at an ATM:
- Card-reader overlays — The most common ATM skimmer, and perhaps the easiest device to detect, is the card-reader overlay. It is made of plastic and fits over the slot where you insert your card. As you insert your card, the device reads the data from your card and stores it. How can you tell if there’s an overlay hiding an illegal card reader? “Before inserting your card, look at the card reader for signs it has been altered,” said Amber Holmes, a financial crimes information specialist with the FDIC. “Be suspicious if your card doesn’t easily go into the machine or if the card reader appears loose, crooked or damaged, or if you notice scratches, glue, adhesive tape or other possible signs of tampering.”
- PIN capture overlays — Criminals have been known to attach dummy keypads over an ATM’s real keypad to record and capture PIN numbers as they are entered. The keypad might be fake if it looks too thick or different from what you’re used to seeing.
- Fake ATM faceplates — Some thieves go as far as placing a fake ATM cover that could contain card-reader overlays, hidden cameras and PIN-capture overlays over some or all of a real, fully operating machine. “The best way to determine if an ATM has a false cover is to look for flaws like loose wires, seams that are not flush and slots or keypads that look out of place,” said Holmes
Some other worthwhile precautions you can take include:
- Do not use an ATM or a credit or debit card reader if anything looks suspicious, such as loose or extra parts. Alert the machine owner or the police immediately.
- Shield the keypad with your hand when typing your PIN at the ATM or a retailer’s checkout area.
- Regularly check your bank and credit card accounts for unauthorized transactions, even small transactions that you think might not be worth reporting to your bank.
If one spots a potential problem, notify your bank as quickly as possible.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000
