What is Card Skimming?
There are two types of Card Skimming. The first type is a scenario in which someone takes an extra swipe of your credit card. It could be a waiter, a store clerk, or anyone to whom you’ve handed your credit card for payment. Instead of just charging your card, the thief takes an extra swipe of your credit card into a small, hand-held device known as a skimmer. The skimmer extracts and stores the data from your card, giving the thief all of the information he or she needs to create a counterfeit card. A skimmer can store card data from hundreds of different credit cards. Once information has been downloaded into the skimmer, it can then be downloaded into a computer and e-mailed anywhere in the world. The second type involves collecting ATM/Debit card numbers and PINs for the purpose of stealing money from your account. This scheme is accomplished through two methods either by simply watching members as they use ATMs (a technique known as “shoulder surfing”), or a high-tech method, whic
