Card Skimming Device Found In Capital Region. Here’s How You Can Spot Them

It was a lot more straightforward to steal from someone before we had credit and debit cards. Nowadays, any time you put your card information somewhere it's at risk of being compromised.

Read More: Protect Yourself From IRS Impersonation Scams In NY

One of the most common ways to steal your card info is Card Skimmers, and one was just found in the Capital Region...

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Card Skimmer in Gloversville

On March 3rd, the Gloversville Police Department responded to a call from the Dollar Tree at 169 North Main Street about a device that was attached on one of the card readers at their checkout.

Upon inspection, officers believed that they had found a Skimming Device, a piece of technology that blends in to the point of sale and collects your card information after you've run it. Police are asking you to monitor your bank information if you have recently made a purchase on Credit/Debit card at this specific location.

How to Spot Card Skimmers

Since these devices are meant to blend in, they can be hard to notice at a glance. The FBI recommends slightly wiggling the keypad on the POS machine to ensure another machine is not layered on top of it, as well as covering the keypad with your hand when you input your PIN to ensure no hidden cameras are picking it up.

They also recommend using your card chip as much as possible, as those are much harder to steal than the magnetic strip on the back. Using a strong PIN, monitoring your bank accounts, and using cards that are not connected are some other methods to cut down on risk.