<!––>A small California grocery store chain and its customers have fallen prey to some tech savvy ID thieves, says KPIX in San Francisco. A card reader was secretly replaced with a unit that skimmed card numbers at the Los Gatos Lunardi’s — an increasing common scam that targets stores and gas stations where customers can swipe their own credit cards. The theft was discovered when the grocery store called to report that one of their readers had been switched.Now reports of drained bank accounts and fraudulent charges are pouring in to local police departments.

“It was a switched card reader at one of the aisles,” McCarty said.
Recent shoppers of the Los Gatos Lunardi’s should check the status of their bank or credit card accounts for charges they did not make, according to police.

“Specifically look for charges in the Southern California area, Pasadena, Huntington; that’s where most of them seem to be,” McCarty said.

If you suspect that these scammers got a hold of your info, you can report the incident to the Los Gatos/Monte Sereno Police Department at (408) 354-8600.

Los Gatos Supermarket Target Of Identity Theft[CBS5] (Thanks, Paul!)

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