A skimmer is a device placed on the swipe section or over the card entrance on an ATM machine or POS terminal. The devices are so transparent that it is hard for anyone to personally see the difference without picking up and inspecting the unit. If this was a checkout in the store it would look weird, grabbing it looking around. Or if you started poking around an ATM machine to determine if one was there you may find yourself in trouble for suspicious activity.
Yet every day banks have to deal with these devices being installed. After some research I learned no one is actually watching the camera's unless there is an issue! The message is clear, banks will not be proactive in protecting us. They wait for us to report the problem.
Here is an example. If I am using my debit card while in Florida and an hour later my card is use do withdraw cash in Greensboro, NC the bank will process the transactions. No question asked. This would be so simple to detect, yet they allow it to go through.
Target sales have not dropped off. People still use PNC and Chase bank after they were hacked. PF Changs was packed this weekend. Most people will not change their behavior until it affects them.
- What are you going to change to proactively protect yourself from theft?
- Still using the PIN you have had for years?
- Using the same convenient password on multiple websites?
- Still using your debit card as debit instead of credit?
- Shop at Target lately?