Customer Discovers Card Skimmer On Bank ATM

When most of us think about illegal card skimmers on ATMs, we think of free-standing cash machines at convenience stores or on the street. But a sharp-eyed bank customer in Massachusetts spotted a skimmer at the last place you’d expect one: the bank.

The customer tells WBZ-TV that he noticed a loose piece of plastic on the machine near where you insert your card. When he touched it, the piece fell out and it was revealed to be a skimmer that would store users’ card numbers and PINs.

The scammers who placed the skimmer did a decent job of making it appear to be an integral part of the ATM. One would only spot the change in appearance in a side-by-side comparison with an un-rigged machine. In the above picture, the ATM on the left contains the skimmer, while the one of the right does not.

While the customer who noticed this skimmer hadn’t yet used his card on the machine, it’s not yet know how many users’ information was stolen by the skimmer — or how someone managed to tinker with a bank ATM without being detected.

ATM Skimming Device Found At Eastern Bank In Taunton [CBSlocal.com]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.