SECURITY experts are warning people to avoid using one specific method to pay at self checkout machines or ATMs due to thieves videotaping transactions in a major card stealing scam.
In recent months, shoppers have been warned of increased card skimming scams that can steal an individual’s credit card information as soon as they use it to pay.
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Card skimmers are gadgets that can be installed on card-reading devices like self-checkout machines, ATMs, and gas station pumps.
These devices often look identical to the keypads or card inserts that are installed on the card-reading machine.
However, as soon as a customer inserts their card, the device copies the card’s PIN and numbers.
This immediately leaves many victims helpless as the criminals now have access to their banking information.
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Oftentimes, the scammers will also install a nearby video camera to record the transaction and security codes being used.
This week, police in Baytown, Texas – around 30 minutes east of Houston – arrested Perla Miclescu, 25, and Rafael Rafaila, 20, on several charges related to a card skimming scam.
Harris County court records obtained by local Fox affiliate KRIV reportedly allege that Miclescu and Rafaila were in possession of one of these skimming devices as well as “overlay pinhole cameras.”
Records reportedly indicate that they also had 24 re-encoded credit cards.
In addition to the skimming related charges, Miclescu and Rafaila reportedly have separate warrants for other fraud-related charges.
Miclescu reportedly has a warrant related to an indictment in 2019 in Colorado County, Texas in which she was accused to committing a robbery with three others.
Records claim that Miclescu posted bond but never returned to court.
Meanwhile, Rafaila reportedly has warrant in Indiana related to charges of unlawful possession of a card skimming device.
Miclescu is reportedly a Romanian citizen.
Both defendants were booked into Harris County jail and face deportation proceedings.
Jeff Roberts, Captain of Internal Operations for the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center, has warned of the danger behind this type of alleged operation.
They’re actually videotaping the transaction.
Jeff Roberts
“What they’re doing is placing these skimmers internally inside the card reader, which we call deep Insert skimmers,” he told KRIV.
“Then they use a camera device which is hidden to look like stock hardware – that then captures when you put your pin number in.
“So, they’re actually videotaping the transaction.”
Instead of inserting the credit card into the card-reading device, Roberts urged people to tap to pay.
He indicated that accessing the magnetic strip on a credit card is how scammers are able to steal the sensitive banking information.
What is a skimmer device?
A skimmer device is a fraud tool designed to steal sensitive information from credit or debit cards during transactions.
- Imagine a skimmer device as a sneaky thief that hides on ATMs or card machines.
- Its job is to secretly steal your credit or debit card information when you use it for a transaction.
- These devices are like tiny spies that can copy your card details, including the card number and PIN, without you even realizing it.
- Skimmers can be cleverly disguised to look just like the regular card reader, making them hard to spot.
- Once they have your information, bad guys can use it to make fake cards or buy things without your permission, causing a lot of trouble and stress.
- It’s important to always be cautious and check for anything unusual on card machines before using them to protect yourself from these sneaky devices.
Avoiding a physical card altogether and using Apple Pay or Google Pay on a mobile device can be the safest option, he told the outlet.
“Those are very secure transactions and, as it sits currently, those aren’t able to be skimmed, because you’re not swiping into the terminal,” Roberts said.
Thousands of people in the state of Texas have been targeted by hundreds of card-skimming devices over the last two years.
In January, the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center revealed that the agency had recovered 445 card skimming devices and 5,574 fraudulent credit cards.
The agency said these efforts have prevented $171.5 million in monetary losses in the state.
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