Resources for Consumers

Criminals attach skimmers in and on various types of payment terminals to steal your money and/or your line of credit. This includes Gas Pumps, ATMs and ITMs, and Point of Sale terminals in retail stores. These devices are very difficult to spot but there are things that you can do to protect yourself.

Before using an ATM terminal: Look for broken or missing parts. Look for a pin hole camera over the PIN pad. Is the PIN pad firmly attached. Is the card reader firmly attached. If you have trouble inserting a card into the reader, do not continue or enter anything into the PIN pad.

Before using a Point of Sale (POS) terminal in a store: Use tap to pay if available. Look for broken or missing parts. Is the face of the terminal firmly attached. If you have trouble inserting a card into the reader, do not continue or enter anything into the PIN pad. If your card has a chip do not swipe your magnetic stripe, even if the POS instructs you to swipe.

Before using a Gas Pump: Use tap to pay if available. If tap to pay is not an option, avoid pumps that do not look well maintained or show signs of tampering. Try to use pumps that are chip card enabled. These pumps will ask you to insert your card and leave in the card reader. Look for a pin hole camera over the PIN pad. Is the PIN pad firmly attached. Is the card reader firmly attached. If you have trouble inserting a card into the reader, do not continue or enter anything into the PIN pad.

If you are the victim of a crime, report this to your local police or sheriff’s department. Your financial institution will not and cannot make this report on your behalf. The FCIC does not take offense reports from the general public. The FCIC will assist your local agency with its investigation.