How to Protect Yourself from an ATM Skimmer

Have you ever seen a fraudulent charge on your credit card or debit card that you don't remember making? Was it associated with an ATM or similar machine? It happened to me and I was almost out of a lot of money. Thankfully I got it back within a day, but some people may not be so lucky. Those people, like me, were victims of an ATM skimmer. This article will show you how to protect yourself from one.

An ATM skimmer is a set of devices run by scam artists that want to take your money. What these criminals do is install equipment into an ATM machine that captures your personal information, including PIN numbers, so that they can access your credit line or debit line. The device can do anything from recording your PIN with a camera to saving your ATM info into a flash drive and sending it off-shore via a cell phone. The ATM skimmers have been around for a number of years, but a recent resurgence of them in America has given cause for alarm.

Types of ATMs. The first thing that ATM skimmer installers do is find ATMs that are high in traffic but low in visibility. ATM machines in out-of-the-way places like large parking lots are high targets for ATM skimmers, especially if they are not run by large banks. Even corporate bank ATMs can be victims of ATM skimmers. Outdoor gas station machines can also be fitted for skimmers. That's where I became a victim.

The ATM skimmers are very well designed and can be extremely well hidden. Your best bet is to use ATMs that are inside high-traffic stores or inside banks themselves, IF you have to use an ATM at all. If at all possible, just pay inside or use the cash back feature to get any cash. This way someone has to verify authorization.

Cameras. Look for any recent changes in your ATM machine to find cameras. For example, if an ATM machine didn't normally have a brochure box but there is one now, there might be a pin-sized camera pointing at the keypad installed. New mirrors or recently moved reflective mirrors designed for "security" may actually house small cameras as well. If you are unsure about the ATM's set up, move onto another one. It is probably good practice to cover the keypad as much as possible when you enter your PIN anyway.

Unusual Parts. One key aspect that ATM skimmer installers rely on is the assumption of safety by ATM users. Many of the ATM skimmer devices look just like the normal ATM parts, from the keypad to the card reader. But through careful inspection, these hidden parts can present a red flag.

Start with the obvious by looking for loose-fitting parts. If the card reader or keypad is easily moveable, don't use them. Also, most ATMs have Braille coding on the keypads for visually impaired customers. If the keypad doesn't have one, there may be an ATM skimmer device underneath it. For the card reader, look for unusual a very plain design that may have redundant indicators such as additional diagrams on how to insert the card. Sometimes the false parts also cover up the flashing lights normally associated with a legitimate card reader.