‘Check your bank statement,’ warns Safeway shopper after noticing ‘sparkling’ device at checkout – your info is at risk

A MAN was shopping at his local Safeway when he noticed something strange about the keypad at the self-checkout kiosk.

The Washington, D.C. resident frequents the store, but it never occurred to him that buying groceries from Safeway could pose a major security risk.

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“If you shop at the Georgetown Safeway, I’d be checking your bank statements,” John Perry Miller told local NBC affiliate, WRC-TV.

In a YouTube video of a WRC-TV news segment, Miller revealed he noticed a sparkling keypad at the self-checkout kiosk that turned out to be a card skimmer.

Miller, who said he typically shops at this Safeway location up to three times a week, told WRC-TV news anchor Joseph Olmo that after this experience, he’ll likely be using cash.

“The keypad was sparkling like brand new and so I yanked on it and it was loose and so I called over the attendant and was like ‘No it’s not a skimmer’ and I said, ‘It’s a skimmer,” Miller told Olmo.

He and the Safeway attendant both reached to remove the keypad from the device and sure enough, with little give, it came off, he told Olmo.

Miller then took a picture of the detached keypad and posted it to social media where it blew up.

“You noticed that these buttons were super clear compared to the last time you were here and that’s what tipped it off,” said Olmo.

Miller affirmed this and said he noticed the “night and day difference.”

The store confirmed it was a card-skimming device that could give scammers access to shoppers’ banking information.

“Safeway takes these issues and is investigating this matter, in coordination with law enforcement, to ensure appropriate action has been taken,” the store told WRC-TV.

Meanwhile, Miller’s post has reached hundreds of thousands of people.

“I’m glad I can make sure people are aware of this because I do think that it’s important that people are checking,” he said.

Card skimming happens when scammers illegally install devices at ATMs, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, and fuel pumps to take cardholders’ personal information.

Olmo warned shoppers to take a couple of extra seconds before swiping or inserting your card.

The FBI has even issued an official warning about skimmers.

“Skimming occurs when devices illegally installed on ATMs, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, or fuel pumps capture data or record cardholders’ PINs,” the FBI said. 

“Criminals use the data to create fake debit or credit cards and then steal from victims’ accounts.”

Dozens of instances of skimming were recorded across Stop & Shops in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Some victims have reported actual fraud charges, while others had their cards locked.

Skimmers can even target EBT cards and have drained these accounts too, according to the office of Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer.