Immediately heed this self-checkout warning as detectives expose a scam that can result in lost funds

Experts have warned that SKIMMERS, which are used to steal customers’ credit card information at self-checkout kiosks, are on the rise.

Financial crime investigators in western Washington claim to have spotted Bluetooth-enabled devices perched atop Ingenico brand card readers.

The Everett Police Department has issued a warning about card skimmers, which are devices that can steal card information and the PIN entered by the customer following a swipe.

If fraudsters are in close proximity to the device, they can even steal the information wirelessly by using Bluetooth technology.

Fortunately, shoppers can take precautions to lessen the risk of identity theft.

Check the POS system visually and physically for an overlay, the police instructed.

Even if the device has wireless security, it’s still a good idea to protect your PIN with your hand at all times.

As these devices have also been seen at outdoor ATMs, authorities have urged the public to use indoor machines whenever possible.

Smart consumers should also have their banks set up text alerts to notify them whenever they make a purchase that exceeds a certain threshold amount.

Financial investigators recommend canceling the affected card by calling the number listed on the back of the card.

Police in Everett are warning residents to be wary of a slew of fraudulent websites that appear when searching for a bank or other financial institution online.

ATM SKIMMING

The ATM skimming scam is twofold, requiring both a tiny camera and a card reader with sophisticated technology.

Thieves install a tiny card skimming device that runs on batteries into the ATM’s card slot.

While a camera captures the victim entering their PIN, a card skimmer reads the victim’s payment information stored on the magnetic stripe on the back of the card.

Later, they return to the ATM and remove the skimmer and camera, then download the data they captured.

When investigating a scam that was uncovered in New York City, authorities found a card skimmer that was less than a millimeter in height.

Scammers can use the victim’s money thanks to the information stolen from the magstripe and the compromised PIN number obtained from the video.

According to McAfee’s explanation, fraudsters can use stolen data to create a new ATM card in the victim’s name and withdraw money.

Embedded in the card reader of an ATM is a camera equipped with image recognition technology.

The New York City-targeted ATM maker is testing a camera in the card reader slot to look for suspicious objects, according to Krebs on Security.

In place of inserting a card into a slot, users of newer ATMs can now pay by tapping or waving their card above a sensor.

The most fundamental precautions can be taken to protect yourself from becoming a skimming victim until contactless payments become universally available:

When entering your PIN, simply hide the numeric keypad.