How to spot credit card skimmers hidden inside grocery stores, ATMs and gas stations

Gas pumps are no longer the primary target of skimmers. Crooks are moving some skimmers inside stores to try to steal your money.
Story: cbsaustin.com/news/local/skim...
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#KEYE #CBSAustin #News #Austin #scammer #scamprevention #scams #gasstation #credicard #identitytheft #identitytheftprotection #identitytheftisnotajoke #creditscore

[@sudilos1172]

Guy who works there 100% knew and is probably the skimmer

[@steveg6978]

LOL...hes in on it, got a fee for letting them install it

[@californiarollwithramensea8220]

Owners need to be questioned, a lot of times they're the ones doing it. Also a weird amount of 7/11s involved in this.

[@john236613]

Stereotypes exist for a reason

[@Mark-uv6sm]

If you noticed, that very few Anglo -Saxons work there, it's the typical Suspects who are employeed and surely they know something about it.

[@user-do7nm3ik4n]

Sue them

[@tudwortyjmcguern5689]

its where easy target poor people go

[@donaldkasper8346]

7-11s and Arco customers being scammed fill a family members bank branch with complaints all the time she says. She is the branch manager, sees it going on constantly.

[@beachbum8215]

Inside job. Arrest the store owner.

[@flagmichael]

Your evidence? It takes only a couple seconds to install a skimmer.

[@pequenioedgarito3067]

@@flagmichael evidence is circumstantial. The owner didnt look suprised nor did he apologize.

[@brentbradly8629]

I would think inside job because the bill all went to the store, if there was a second $900 charge then I would think someone else

[@biggmixxo]

Thank u!😮

[@armchairobserver4747]

Total inside job. Nice work by this woman

[@bayodaman]

facts, how the hell does a normal customer just come up to pay and does it quick enough to not be seen lol

[@steelermia]

@@bayodaman it's been done .. there's a video of it on here

[@leeinwis]

Call her by name .

[@MrWideballs]

Cameras can catch you stealing but can't catch the skimmer installer?

[@djdonbentley2141]

That big of a device attached to the real reader would seem like it was an inside job. It would be extremely hard to put that on there without being noticed at all , by anyone .

[@maureenm8462]

Hope the shop was held accountable and she got het money back

[@steelermia]

not necessarily .. I just saw a video where a team of two did it.. one distracted the clerk .. second quickly put it on

[@flagmichael]

You would think so, but the entire exposure comes from the time it takes to get it out of a coat pocket and set it in place... a second or two.

[@BKPrice]

I imagine putting a skimmer on without the store noticing as that scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail where the young prince who wants to be rescued "secretly" writes a note and shoots it out the window while the guards smile at him obliviously.

[@yoswifty303]

The FBI and the local police should shut them down until they investigate. That’s a scam and can effect someone life dramatically.

[@leemelone6482]

The store/gas/business should be held liable It’s their equipment. They need to safe guard it.

[@jerryjones7918]

Someone who works in these mini marts is in on these installs. There needs to be investigators who will check the stores video footage and that should tell you all you need to know.

[@tommybotts]

The videos can be erased daily. Their systems for recording are rinky-dink.

[@jerryjones7918]

@@tommybotts that’s very true tommy, but if the customer that was scammed can give a fairly accurate time that they were there, then it’s not going to look good for the store if there is a blank area in that time frame that the customer noted. There has to be a good solution to stop this in store scam from continuing to occur.

[@tommybotts]

@jerryjones7918 Perhaps convenience stores keep those card readers behind the counter and bring it out when the customer is ready to pay. If there's Plexiglas divider on the counter, slide the reader thru the slot and pull it back behind the counter. Seems like a no-brainer.

[@jerryjones7918]

@@tommybotts that’s a good idea. It’s bad enough that these are installed outside on gas pumps and ATMs, but there’s no excuse for this to be in a small convenience store right at the counter and supposedly no one is the wiser.

[@Lemmon714_]

MOhammed wouldn't scam anyone

[@jujubees711]

How the F did the store not see this??? I think at some point stores are responsible to make sure their credit card machines are safe for their customers. 1) Stores should check their machines 3 times a day. Doesn't take that long. 2) They need to go through security footage to see who installed that machine.

[@DecrepitBiden]

It may or may not be an inside job. They could distract the employee with anything, like spilling a drink. Seen that in a video. 2 guys. 1 distract the clerk. In less than 1-2 seconds, the 2nd guy slips the skimming device over the real thing.

[@kristinalowe9819]

So who put it on the credit card pad?! The cashier? The owner of the convenience store, the manager? My brain is saying, “Inside Job!”

[@flagmichael]

Any customer. They ask for a lottery ticket, and while the cashier is doing that - a few seconds - the scammer slips it out of his coat pocket and sets it in place.

[@cellphonet4994]

The stores must be involved in the scam because the clerk and store video record should see someone trying to install a skimmer. I think the banking system and merchants are all involved in the crime. Common sense tells me that these crimes should be easily detected! What's really going on?

[@HighLordComedian]

Typically its a group that installs these and one of the group gets the attention of the attendant while the others cover the installer.

[@woodstream6137]

That thing is self contained and uses double sided tape. It would take less than a minute to pop it on.

[@sarahkragness7138]

I've worked at a couple of convenience stores. If you're the only one there (11-7shift), then it's easy for someone to decoy you away from the counter to fiddle something. Prob just as easy if there's LOTS of people in the store to distract both the cashier and the manager. It would still be on video, however. The best way to prove the staff is involved? When the cops ask for the video... "oh, sorry, not working this week"...

[@jjman533]

Wow good for her to go back to the store. No update? 7-11 has video cameras and it clearly should have caught who put it on unless it was the clerk or employee.

[@traybern]

The vast, VAST MAJORITY of these are INSIDE JOBS!!!!! The employees are IN ON IT!!!

[@randyearles1634]

good point. it has to be on camera.

[@sandrav.6019]

Of course this was an inside job.💯 How do you walk into a 7-11 & slap that big thing on the card machine without ANYONE noticing??🤔💯 It has to be the store owner, manager, or a cashier.💯

[@mlr4524]

Happened to me this month at a local supermarket. Clerks are not paying attention. Store security personnel are not paying attention. I reported it to police and they asked no information, such as date / time of day, aisle number, clerk name, etc. The onus should be on the stores to INSPECT THEIR EQUIPMENT at least twice daily.

[@ToboeKey309]

That's why if the credit card machine has the tap to pay then use the tap u don't have to insert your credit card

[@gatsbylight4766]

@@ToboeKey309 - Yeah, I'm one of those folk who took awhile to get used to insert after all those years of swipe. I've yet to have started to check if a card reader is tap-enabled. But, I think I'll start doing so.

[@danvitty5442]

@@gatsbylight4766definitely do-it’s legitimately much safer as far as fraud goes

[@SC-gp7kt]

​@@ToboeKey309how would tapping it be any safer?

[@gatsbylight4766]

Title of this video says *How to spot credit card skimmers.* I couldn't _"spot"_ anywhere in this video where it showed *how to SPOT credit card skimmers.*

[@willoughby1888]

They "scammed" us... again. Liar clickbait is the name of the game now.

[@ireallyhatehandles]

Clickbait at its finest

[@thedon1570]

You didn’t watch it then stop lying

[@thedon1570]

@@willoughby1888except they did bot

[@omarmonteverde6606]

This told me nothing on how to spot one omg

[@Cwgrlup]

Not a word about it

[@briangoodie3420]

They said it was bulkier then normal and if you have a hard time getting your card in its a red flag. What more do you need.

[@davidpawson9047]

​@@briangoodie3420 The parameters of normal. How much bulk is too much?

[@ncooty]

Even if it wasn't the clerk, the store should be accountable. It's their machine in their store. If they're held accountable, they'll start checking. Otherwise, they just won't care. Also, some prison time could be motivational.

[@ptmorplez]

So how does this help us spot a scam cover?

[@An.Unsought.Thought]

I guess wiggle and tug every card reader you come across. If its not coming off easily, its not a skimmer. It shouldnt take too much strength to pull one off.

[@thedon1570]

Try watching it to understand bot scum

[@phillipkalaveras1725]

Managers allow it because they get a piece of the action

[@gracehall9199]

Tell me how a crook can put a face plate on top of a card reader that’s directly on the counter where the cashier stands?

[@sethkoch7441]

Shouldn't banks be responsible for fraudulent charges?

[@LilAmBaby]

Hi there! Banks themselves aren't and shouldn't be responsible for fraud charges. Anytime there are fraud charges, if local (in this instance) a police report is best to be filed and investigated so bad actors are caught/made to pay damages. If these charges originated elsewhere, then entites such as Visa for example, handle such cases so that bad actors can be caught and charged back as needed. The bank is simply the middle-man who helps facilitate the requests/dispurses funds back into an account from Visa. Hope this helps!

[@abijahdixon2771]

Thanks for explaining, this happened to me and I was told nothing was off, but I know was...but maybe more was being done​ then I was aware of..@LilAmBaby

[@goated313]

If i catch you stealing from me, you wont have a store come morning 😂 i promise

[@woodstream6137]

Last time my card was cloned was a traveling group. They were hundreds of miles away when they used it. No chance of getting caught. First time was a young kid working the taco bell drive thru. They caught him and the rest of the ring and i didn't have to burn down the two bell without proof. 😅

[@user-tg4we4mz3v]

U wouldn't have a clue who did it.

[@goated313]

@user-tg4we4mz3v store owner most likely. Thats the only way to have time to install it. You could tell by the reaction that the store owner was involved

[@woodstream6137]

@@goated313 wait until after the trial before burning down the store. Like i said mine was 1 employee at the taco bell; no reason to burn it down unless you're psycho.

[@goated313]

@@woodstream6137 who said anything about burning the store down? Thats you assuming things.

[@suigip]

Stores should be accountable for not checking

[@cree878]

The store should be responsible for checking those machines multiple times a day to limit victims

[@abelincoln3261]

Was the store and the police smart enough to use this opportunity to catch the thieves.. Something tells me they weren't.

[@zmarvelous664]

Don't ATMs have cameras? They don't see this happening?

[@hvacdr]

Apparently they dont

[@nevesseven1656]

Do you really think they pay someone to watch the video recorded 24/7 just in case something happens or after the fact when something happens because it’s brought to their attention?

[@existential_ecstacy]

@@nevesseven1656 they don't have to be watching it. The camera saves all recordings.

[@nevesseven1656]

@@existential_ecstacy I was making the point to the op "They don't see this happening?" ~ hence my reply that it's unrealistic to expect sone to watch it as it's happening. Perhaps you should explain it to the OP since you think you have to interject.

[@existential_ecstacy]

@@nevesseven1656 yes u r right, but, my point is they can go back to it if necessary.

[@JD-tg5ib]

To have a skimmer installed on the reader right at the register indicates the store owner not only knew it was there but is probably the one who installed it. Rather that giving it to the cashier saying give it to the owner they'll know what to do. He should have called the police. Safety tip: Don't shop at that store.

[@ACommenterOnYouTube]

Yea .. placing a skimmer on a 7 eleven store and NOT 1 person saw you do it.

[@e2ndcomingsoon655]

God bless you honorable lady for warning us all.

[@uoyebut2151]

Make those store owners pay 10 times the amount that was stolen then fine them with some jail time.

[@sharit7970]

Great detective work!

[@viewer0ne]

Street smart young lady knew exactly what must’ve happened. Her instincts about the machine not looking right were spot on. Another great example of why you should always trust your instincts.

[@CurtisFukkinSliffe]

Theres no way someone could have put that in the machine right there at the counter without being seen.

[@-AV8R-]

The reader is right next to the cash register...no way someone other than an employee or owner installed this.

[@pirobot668beta]

Thank you, George Santos. He supplied skimmers, blank credit-cards, credit-card imprinting machines to a gang out here in Seattle about 2 years ago. Where did he get all the hard-ware? 'Friends' in Cuba... Just about every 7-11 has a big old sign, encouraging customers to check for card-skimmers, many Bank ATM's have similar warnings. It's great that he helped raise awareness, but why is Santos not in Jail?

[@iamanovercomer3253]

What was the clerk doing ❓ sleeping ❓❗ SERIOUSLY THE STORE IS GUILTY OF FRAUD

[@BostonSteve922]

From now on I’m checking everything before using my card

[@Jules-740]

Even 10,000,000 x worse than these lil skimmers is the IRS.

[@johnpeter4184]

Lock all cards until you use them then lock them again. Make all purchases with cash when possible. 😮

[@GrandmaKit]

Two thoughts, first there is video footage of these crooks floating around. Second, this stuff is moving through a merchant processor and should be trackable.

[@ProfessorGamez]

It makes you wonder if the employees in a given store are in on this type of scam. Otherwise, how can that be installed over a car reader, which is usually near the cashier?

[@kreepyits-o7761]

Its amazing how people and camera dont actually catch a person installing these scam devices 🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@hvacdr]

I will no longer be using my card to make purchases

[@maryfimielkowski220]

The frustrating thing is...... scams happen with cards or checks ! So HOW do you Protect yourself regarding that ??? Walking around with cash can be just as dangerous ? NOW WHAT ??

[@hvacdr]

@@maryfimielkowski220 ya I used to have a credit card through my bank and I would use their credit card and always just transfer money to my credit card from my checking so not to pay any fees as a way to be protected from all the scams but I think the credit card company must have got tired of that because I never paid fees but took advantage of the 1% back deal and they shut me down completely. I had tried reapplying. This has nothing to do with having bad credit as my score is 800. And i saw that a lot of people had their credit cards shut down for this same reason. I hate using my debit its a very nerve racking thing to do. I need to try and get an american express or something like that because having to carry 2, 300 bucks in cash around is a terrible way to get by. If everyone starts carrying around cash again like that you're going to get a whole lot of robbers come back.

[@pequenioedgarito3067]

As a victim of identity theft… First: dont use your debt card in chip reader. 2) use tap or a card with RFID to make purchases, if it is availalbe. Last,I carry a gift card with the similar thickness as my credit card. I insert that and see if there is resistance or any issues with pulling it out. Overall: if you can apple pay where you digitally store your credit card and debit cards, that is the least amount of risk.

[@bearschannel9915]

The fact the people working there act like they didn't know it was there odd

[@standingbear998]

store should be liable for allowing this to happen there. as a business they some responsibility to the financial protection of the customer who uses a card there. cameras and employees are there. no one does there job, just want more money for nothing.

[@davekinghorn9567]

What are the penalties for having a skimmer on your site? Make it 20 years mandatory prison sentence and this will stop.

[@EchanteDante]

Aww how she walked out of the store was so cute 🥰 awww with that big smile she seems like a sweetie

[@sandybiltz2476]

Cash has no enemies!

[@patrickbodine1300]

except for the WEF.

[@flagmichael]

I guess you've never received a counterfeit. A man I worked with sold an iPad and was paid with counterfeit bills. They looked okay unless you knew what to look for.

[@lndsyg]

The lady said “again??” Lol he looks so damn guilty 🤣

[@dancereaper]

Smart woman!

[@ThuggyMacho]

7/11’s all around the country doing this. The owners are doing this.

[@inspiringtone2975]

This is vile. The owners and managers need to go to prison.

[@wokeloner]

Thanks for telling us how to actually stop the skimmers! What a waste of time...

[@bhambhole]

Thank you. Stay alert.

[@user-uj5kn6co5q]

You can spend a few seconds to use your smart phone to check for a blue tooth signal that is used to transmit to the thieves. There should be no signal

[@christinaify]

I can see gas pumps and ATMs, they're unattended. The ones actually IN the store are sus lol

[@lakerskid2013]

Exactly, like how in the world did somebody have the time to put something like that in there and not get caught? Like was there nobody at the counter and nobody watching the cameras at the same time to catch anybody doing this? It’s very, very strange to say the least.

[@kimwiser445]

Pay with cash when possible.

[@djdahl9035]

Ya well if the owner does not check they should be liable and dealt with.

Yup I been checking these every time.

[@philiplombardo249]

How is it that those dang things are available for someone to buy?? There oughta be a law against buying those things if you don’t work in a business fixing those machines

[@jb0222]

they can trace where that credit card data was being sent to, but they won't trace it because they are too lazy/stupid to do so or government don't care.

[@tooge47]

I pay cash for EVERYTHING, no such problem

[@maryfimielkowski220]

Isn't that just as dangerous ? How do you protect yourself ??

[@tooge47]

@@maryfimielkowski220 for DECADES, people ask "why do you wear a GUN everywhere you go ?"

[@msarchieve1749]

Don’t they have cameras recording customers? Wouldn’t a customer get caught on camera messing with the card machine? It has to be someone working there that’s doing that.

[@HT-jn8uh]

The store owners can modify the credit card machines so the credit card skimmers won't fit perfectly on top of the credit card machines.

[@goated313]

They wont though, they are the ones installing the skimmers. Always foreign mfs tryin to scam too

[@randyearles1634]

they need more specific tips.

[@user-ex9pk6yd9j]

Why is there no security coverage of the card reader or is the owner or staff doing this?

[@kevinlee6672]

We should be allow to sue retail store and bank atm for allowing this to happen!!! They need to check their devices for card skimmer everyday instead of just letting this shit happens!!!!!

[@jeffharrison1090]

What's also true and NEVER mentioned is that these skimmers often have co-conspirators working behind the counter with them. That allow the installation of the skimmers. These are high turnover jobs, ppl with colorful backgrounds.

[@dr.baotran8448]

Thank you.

[@russell7489]

It's anyplace esp self checkouts where there is almost no staff supervision and you can easily move yourself and stuff to stash skimmers, remote readers, wireless repeaters so you can get credit card info while drinking and drugging in your car outside.... I had it happen in a CVS. Bottom line is STORES need to provide secure sales not pass the burden to 300 million US consumers to become electronic point of sale experts, carry wireless frequency scanners and decrypt signals in area...

[@deliamak]

I think If businesses still use this device, please do not pay with your credit cards or debit cards. This device is pretty much the target for the skimmers. The important question is, why haven't those businesses not changed this device with something better? So, it's the inside job as simple.

[@emiemilia6219]

As much as I know and destest of the wickedness of people around the world, this also looks like it was purposely done by design. I am very proud of her for refusing to be ashamed for the store owner's broad mistake (knowing full and well that was someone else's hard earned money, yet criminals want to rob).

[@DigitalOdyssey3001]

They should hold stores and owners accountable. If they cared about customers they would check at least twice daily. When opening and closing.

[@user-oh3lx9xf9p]

This is why I still pay in cash.. people think I'm crazy for not liking using my card

[@bigcahuna42366]

This happened to me at a Burlington eight years ago. I never went back and shopped there again.

[@roachtoasties]

I don't get how there is a charge for $944 from the 7-Eleven she shopped at, unless the bad guy someone created another card and immediately bought a boat-load of stuff from the same store. Anyway, by the end of the decade, credit cards will no longer have magnetic strips. It will only be chip transactions or contactless. Skimming magnetic stripes will no longer be possible.

[@rickyparrish8310]

I would recommend that if a skimmer is found inside a store they should be held responsible for not checking their equipment regularly any ATM should have a system if anything other than a card is inserted an ear piercing sound goes off and the ATM is disabled untill it is repaired 😮

[@thisismyusername6717]

But the part they skim you from is the CHIP part. I havent slid my card anywhere in i dont know how long. All of these videos show the skimmer can take the chips.

[@monsterhunter30001]

That's not a charge that her account balance after the 3.22 deducted. That's how it looks on my banking app.

[@davidpawson9047]

​@monsterhunter30001 CREDIT cards don't deduct from a balance owned, they add to a balance owed.

[@mariagarroyo5571]

If these things are inside the store, it is ridiculous not thinking that someone from inside installed. Or I am wrong?

[@riodejaneiro664]

She was like? Learn to speak lady. You're a cop.

[@raysithlord20]

Video doesn't really show how to spot them.

[@alicetheegreet]

Any updates on this? Did she get her money back? Did they ever catch the perps?

[@donaldkasper8346]

7-11s and Arcos, big problems according to a banker in my family.

[@alexcross9668]

You can buy a SKIM REAPER or HUNTER CAT device that detects a skimmer at pumps, ATMs , etc. Make sure your wallet has an RFID protector. People can steal your information standing next to you

[@TerrileeYO]

so sick of theives

[@lukasrhoads8587]

Why don’t we have inspections for our businesses it would take one person that has an understanding to go in and make sure the machines are safe this shit is messed up

[@rebelalliance171]

this is why you should never use self checkout all walmarts have skimmers

[@tommcfadden5232]

Are we to believe that the store owner knew nothing about this device?

[@yeshuasbeloved549]

All they got to do is go through the store videos. They'll see who put that on there.

[@tjbishop8823]

Check before you shop

[@BoniMayne]

How the hell does this tell us how to look for it other than “if it looks kinda weird try to rip off the front panel”

[@frankgordon8829]

Those eyelashes looked like antlers.

[@S_Kapone]

And they said adding the chips to the cards made em safer 😒

[@lc-il6wr]

Thats crazy!

[@karezaalonso7110]

Lots of people accusing the owner and management, well I don't think it's that hard to believe because the $1,000 charge was from 7-Eleven

[@ButteryBiscuits-hk4px]

There's an Indian (Arab) gas station near me that people keep finding skimmers on their readers... Coincidence, I think not.

[@bruhbruhman349]

The $944 is her balance after that transaction not the total

[@tommybotts]

Why is the lid on the card reader so easily removable?

[@ryanwilliams6602]

It was a second identical lid haphazardly placed over the stock one. It might be 3d printed to be a little wider to fit over the original

[@edwardbright9434]

Way th go mom it's about time people noticed real people doing thee right tht we here in Columbia SC like tht

[@barbnahoumi65]

Very informative

[@KatieT97]

1) how would a random scammer not be caught by someone installing that themselves? 2) if it was random scammers, why does the transaction still charge hundreds to the same store and not a string of stores, or outside the state, or even outside the country? This is obviously an inside job.

[@jonnysnipes3123]

so heres what you do you look at the survalliance footage and find out who installed the skimmer housing over the original card scanner