All over the country, cases are popping up of crooks installing "skimmers" on ATMs and getting your debit and credit card information. And now they're also using a new device to get your PIN number as you type it.
A skimmer can be hard to spot. It's a small electronic device placed right over the card reader that looks like it's part of the machine and is nearly impossible to see. But as you're withdrawing your cash, it's recording your credit card information for the crooks.
Cybersecurity expert Jim Stickley showed TODAY national investigative correspondent Jeff Rossen how small and undetectable an ATM skimmer can be. Then the Rossen Reports team rounded up a group of bank customers for a real-life test.
The results were revealing. Not a single person could tell they were being skimmed.
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Some banks are upgrading their ATMs, using a sideways card reader, which makes it harder for skimming devices to work. In the meantime, here are some extra tips to avoid being scammed by skimmers:
- Cover the PIN pad with your hand while entering your PIN number.
- Check the keypad itself. In some cases, a fake keypad is placed over the real one.
