Previously, OK WASSUP! warned readers to beware of ATM card skimmers, which can read the details of your ATM card along with your PIN number to rob your account of everything. But now, that scare just became more high tech.
Until recently, skimmers had been attached to the outside of ATM’s where a sharp eye could see them prior to inserting a card. However, security officials now say there is a new breed of skimmers that are so thin and so undetectable, they’re inserted into the ATM so you can’t see them at all!
The European ATM Security Team says the latest ATM skimmers are in fact wafer-thin card reading devices, which are inserted just inside the card acceptance slots of cash machines. You can’t even see they’re there.
So how do you battle such high tech thievery? First, avoid stand alone ATM machines found outside convenience stores or gas stations. These are usually the first and easiest place thieves seek to place their stealing devices. Using a reputable bank ATM (preferably your own) is always best. But most importantly, all card skimmers need to be able to record your PIN as you type it in, which requires a keypad overlay or tiny camera to record your PIN entry. Therefore, you should ALWAYS cover your hands while you enter your PIN, so there is no way any remotely attached camera can capture your code.
Of course one standard piece of advice remains the same: if anything or anyone ever looks suspicious at an ATM, don’t use it. Go someplace else!
