[protected-iframe id="9b6e89c2a2d363ebc95643d071c6468b-40783744-40309798" info="http://digg.com/api/diggthis.php?u=http://digg.com/hardware/Here_s_What_A_Card_Skimmer_Looks_Like_On_An_ATM" width="55" height="82" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"]A lot of you have been asking to see what a skimmer looks like before it’s yanked off an ATM. Are they easy to spot or virtually unnoticeable? Our reader Timeus works for a bank and deals with this sort of thing every day, and he sent in the following photos. Enjoy.
how-to
Free iPhone App Improves Paypal And EBay Security
By 4.16.09
We’ve posted before about security keys—those little digital keyfobs that generate expiring security codes over and over and make it incredibly hard for someone to gain unauthorized access to your account. They’re a great idea, and now if you own an iPhone you can install a Verisign app that will work with Paypal and eBay, as well as about two dozen lesser known sites. It’s probably the easiest step you can take to vastly improve security on those accounts.
Save For College
By 4.16.09
Having a baby soon? Congrats! Now you can begin the 18-year process of saving for college (not to mention the even more costly option of paying for their upbringing.) Luckily for you, the New York Times has a simple formula that makes the saving process as painless as possible, requiring only small sacrifices (over a long period of time). They dub the approach “20-20-20” and it goes like this:
Get An Extension On Your Taxes
By 4.14.09
If you’re not done with your taxes, don’t worry, just get an extension. Just send in IRS Form 4868 and you’ll get 6-months to send in your paperwork. However, you still need to send in 90% of your total tax due otherwise you’ll get fines. If you’re getting a refund, then no sweat, just send in your extension. Don’t feel too bad about not having it together in time, either; according to the IRS website, form 4868 is their most requested document.
What Should You Do With Counterfeit Money?
By 4.13.09
From what I’ve seen online, if I take it to a bank, they might take it, but of course I won’t be compensated. Should I turn it into the police? What should I do with it? I don’t really want to just pass it along.
The Consumerist Hive Mind Helps You Buy A Diamond
By 4.7.09
I’d love to know what to look out for when buying a diamond. Do dealers change the grades of diamonds, lie about carats, etc? Where can I buy reasonably priced diamonds? There may be a huge mark-up in store, but am I going to get scammed online? Maybe just pointing in the direction of reliable user reviews of local or online retailers, since it’s so hard to know which reviews are genuine and which are the retailers inflating their stock these days.
How To Easily Remember A Different Password For Every Site
By 3.31.09
Everyone knows that one of the best ways to protect yourself from online security disasters is to use a different password for each account. But do you do it? Probably not, because at first glance it looks like an unreasonable burden, having to either remember dozens of unique passwords or having to keep them all written down somewhere (which in itself is a security risk). The website ideashower.com offers a simple way to create a unique, easy to remember password for every account.
Get The Best Cash Back Credit Card
By 3.18.09
Tired of using a two credit card system to maximize his cash back returns, I did an analysis to determine the single best cash back credit card. Here’s what I found:
Get A Cheap Hotel When The Airlines Fudges Up
By 3.17.09
If airlines are hooking up passengers with deals on local hotels (due to crazy weather, canceled flights, mechanical difficulties, etc), 888-895-2320 is the number to call to get a rate on a discounted hotel room. The number won’t work if the airlines haven’t notified the hotels in the area that they’re sending over passengers. “Hotel, motel, Holiday Inn…” (Photo: and parsecs to go)
Get $50 Million In FDIC Insurance
By 3.14.09
You read the title right. When you’re a high roller, the $250,000 limit of FDIC insurance just isn’t going to cut it. Let me show you how you can get $50 million. It’s all about rocking the CDARS.
Videos: Getting Your Property Value Reassessed
By 3.12.09
Filing an appeal to get your property value reassessed so you can pay less property taxes appears daunting, but this video series from the California State Board Of Equalization is here to helps walk you through the process. It’s designed for California, but there’s things in here that you can learn from regardless of where you live.
Convert And Combine Your WaMu And Chase Cards
By 3.11.09
The handover is complete and Chase now officially runs the WaMu credit card operations. Here’s how to combine your WaMu credit lines with your Chase credit lines. [CreditMattersBlog] (Photo: Ed Yourdon)
Reduce Your Property Tax
By 3.11.09
Instead of having a Boston Tea party in your kitchen, check out the Homeowner’s Property Tax Reduction Kit (PDF, 1.4 MB). It’s got ways for you to check your assessment, identify errors, and how to appeal it. A state-by-state guide gives you the breakdown and specific laws for where you live.
How To Delete Your Online Accounts
By 3.10.09
PC Mag has assembled a list of instructions on how to wipe your account from a long list of websites, including Classmates.com (you’ll have to call), Windows Live ID (it’s complicated), and Friendster (ha ha ha). In many cases, canceling is as straightforward as clicking a link and authorizing the cancellation, but it’s nice to see all the phone numbers and tips collected in one spot.
Save Money On A Funeral
By 3.6.09 — Updated: 5.29.13
Someone wrote to us this week that a person in his family is terminally ill, and that he was told “that the cost of the casket, funeral, viewing, and burial would possibly exceed 12,000 dollars.” He thinks that’s an “exorbitant amount of money,” and so do we. There is no reason to pay that much money for a kick-ass funeral that people will be talking about for years to come. You don’t need to be a cheapskate to manage this, either—you just need to be aware of your rights and know what traps to watch out for. Here’s our list of what to do the next time you have to plan a funeral.
Ladder Your CDs For Fun And Profit
By 3.6.09
Here’s a way to get around the worst part of CDs (certificates of deposit) which give you a higher guaranteed interest rate but lock your money in for a certain period of time: Make a ladder!
United Promises There's No Fee, Then Takes $150 Out Of Your Account
By 3.5.09
We all know that just because a rep on the phone promises you something, that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily true. But in Alan’s case, two different United reps both confirmed, repeatedly—he asked several times before completing the purchase and again before canceling—that he could cancel his tickets within 24 hours of purchase without paying a fee. A week after he canceled, he was hit with a $150 non-refundable fee that one United rep admitted was a new policy that wasn’t in writing—but United still refused to reverse it.
