Multiple customers of a Franklin bank had their account information stolen when a skimming device was put onto an ATM.
The report of a skimmer located on an ATM on Main Street earlier this month was the third time police have found a device in the last eight years. But they have gotten multiple other reports when skimmers were suspected to have been placed, said Lt. Chris Tennell, chief investigator for Franklin Police.
Now, police want to make sure people know how to protect themselves from the devices that steal their account information, often without the customer even knowing.
Card skimmers are placed over card readers on machines, such as outdoor ATMs and gas pumps, and steal your information when you slide your card and type in your PIN.
“The ATM will still give you your money and you’ll go about your day not knowing a crime was committed,” Tennell said.
Three card skimmers have been found by police in Franklin since 2010, Tennell said. One was found at a gas station on Jefferson Street in 2016 and one at a gas station on U.S. 31. in 2017. Other reports have been made about possible skimmers in recent years, but only the three were confirmed.
The most recent skimmer was found at the Huntington Bank ATM on Main Street this month. The skimmer was placed and removed the next day, and the bank found out about the device a week later after customers reported unauthorized charges.
“Customer account privacy and safety is our top priority. Our zero liability policy protects our customers from unauthorized use of their debit and credit cards. Customers can monitor their accounts online, through the mobile app, through their statements, through our bank phone and even by stopping into a branch,” Huntington Bank said in a statement.
Skimmers are made to look exactly like the card reader parts and normally slide over the original reader, which makes them hard to spot, Tennell said.
“You’re not looking for a device that’s out of place,” Tennell said. “It looks like what you normally see.”
Card skimmers are hard to see, but they aren’t impossible find, Tennell said. People can find a card skimmer by feeling around the machine before using it, looking for any lose or moving parts, he said.
“Those parts aren’t put there to move around,” Tennell said. “If you push around a card reader and it moves around, there’s a problem.”
People who use the same ATM often should take time to look the machine over each time they go, so they can spot any differences, Tennell said. Look for velcro or tape around the card reader and note if any buttons are sticking, which could be signs the machine was tampered with, Tennell said.
If anything seems out of place, notify the bank and go inside to use a bank teller or an indoor ATM instead, Tennell said.
One of the best ways to protect your information is to go inside the building, even if it is less convenient, Tennell said. Most ATM skimmers are placed on outdoor ATMs, so they can be placed and picked up without being noticed, he said.
“Criminals are taking advantage of convenience,” Tennell said.
And always protect your PIN number, he said. Cover the keypad when typing it in, and don’t put your number in if someone is standing close by, he said. Cameras are sometimes placed over the keypads to catch people putting in their PIN numbers.
If you have the option to run your card as either credit or debit, run it as credit to avoid putting in a PIN number, Johnson County Sheriff Doug Cox said in a statement.
If anything seems out of place or suspicious, notify the bank or business and local law enforcement.
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Here are some tips from local law enforcement and banks on how to remain safe from card skimmers.
- Feel around the machine before you insert your card. Look for moving or removable parts, tape, scratches or sticky residue.
- If possible, go inside to use an ATM or pay for gas.
- Be aware of your surroundings. Is anyone watching or acting suspicious?
- If you have the option, run your card as a credit or debit, use credit so that you are not typing in your PIN.
- Always cover the keys when using a keypad.
- Monitor your banking account daily and sign up for fraud alerts.
If you see something suspicious do not use the machine and report it immediately to local law enforcement and your bank. Most banks have fraud hot lines that are open 24 hours, seven days a week.
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