Card skimming scams: What you need to know (2024)

FAQs

Card skimming scams: What you need to know? ›

Skimming occurs when devices illegally installed on ATMs, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, or fuel pumps capture data or record cardholders' PINs. Criminals use the data to create fake debit or credit cards and then steal from victims' accounts.

When a card is skimmed, its details can be stolen via the card's magnetic strip. And then things like the cardholder name, card number and expiration date can be copied and used in fraudulent ways. Scammers could try to use the stolen data to: Make unauthorized purchases online or over the phone.

What information does a scammer need to use my credit card? All scammers need is your name, credit card number, and expiration date. For many purchases they don't even need the CVV (those three digits on the back of your card or, if you're an American Express cardholder, four digits on the front).

Card details – card number, card holder name, date of birth and address –- are stolen, often from online databases or through email scams, then sold and used on the internet, or over the phone. This is often called 'card-not-present' fraud.

You won't know that your card has been skimmed until you see unusual transactions, which is why it's important to regularly monitor your account and review card statements. You can also set up card alerts to get emails, texts or app notifications for new transactions.

ATM skimmer devices usually fit over the original card reader. Some ATM skimmers are inserted in the card reader, placed in the terminal, or situated along exposed cables. Pinhole cameras installed on ATMs record a customer entering their PIN.

Bank, debit, or credit card skimming can occur if you use an ATM with a card skimming device installed, pay for something on a dodgy website, swipe your card in the payment machine while making in-store purchases, or even while your cards are in your wallet.

Can You Track Someone Who Used Your Credit Card Online? No. However, if you report the fraud in a timely manner, the bank or card issuer will open an investigation. Banks have a system for investigating credit card fraud, including some standard procedures.

Using Geolocation Tracking

Credit card companies and banks generally use software to extract geolocation data and leverage it for information like the malicious user's time zone, internet service provider (ISP), and exact location of the fraudster at the time of the fraudulent purchase.

Accidentally downloading malware or spyware can enable hackers to access information stored on your computer, including credit card information and other details. For example, a malware attack might use a keylogger that records your keystrokes or browser history and then sends that information to a hacker.

What information does a scammer need to access my bank account? ›

The easiest way to become a victim of a bank scam is to share your banking info — e.g., account numbers, PIN codes, social security number — with someone you don't know well and trust. If someone asks for sensitive banking details, proceed with caution.

Having just your phone number doesn't give scammers direct access to your bank account. However, they can use it as a starting point for phishing attacks or SIM swap scams. If they succeed in these methods, they could potentially access your bank's 2FA codes sent via SMS.

Skimmers are often placed on top of the actual card reader making it stick out at an odd angle or cover arrows in a panel. Compare the card reader to others at a neighboring ATM or gas pump and look out for any differences. Gas pumps should have a security tape or sticker over the cabinet panel.

By the Numbers: Skimming Statistics

FICO reported a 77% increase in the number of cards impacted in the first half of 2023, totaling 120,000 cards, a staggering 77% increase from 2022¹. Here are some other numbers of concern: 3,000 unique financial institutions that were affected by a skimming attack in 2022².

A skimmer is a card reader that can be disguised to look like part of an ATM. The skimmer attachment collects card numbers and PIN codes, which are then replicated into counterfeit cards. Skimming is the type of fraud that occurs when an ATM is compromised by a skimmer.

Skimming happens when there is a false device installed illegally onto an ATM to steal card data by the users of the ATM machine. The PIN number for the card can also be stolen with the use of a key-logging device placed over the key pad or installing an unauthorized camera to spy on the PIN being typed in.

While card skimming only works by swiping data from the magnetic strip on your card, there are other ways card information can be stolen. Apple Pay takes the extra step of encrypting the data so that your actual card information isn't even in your iCloud.