Just when we thought our credit cards became safer with the introduction of the chip, it may be time to head back to the drawing board! This road bump in banking security is thanks to a new method of scamming called shimming.
Scammers could slide a rail-thin device called a shimmer into the slot any card users slips their chip. While in the slot, their device has the capability of stealing all the information recorded into the terminal from the transaction prior.
Felicia Thompson of the Phoenix Better Business Bureau offered some advice about what to lookout for at the checkout counter to avoid these sorts of scams. She stated, “When you’re inserting your credit card into the machine, if it’s hard to push in or you feel some resistance, why don’t you go ahead and tell the teller you want to use a different machine, because that could be an indication that someone has inserted that shim in there.”
In the same breath, consider a snug fit chip reader a red flag as well. If the fit feels tighter than normal, there may just be a shim looming inside.
In lieu of using a card with an EMV chip, other pay services such as Apple Pay or Samsung Pay may be a better bet. As Thompson explained, “You don’t have to insert or swipe your card at all, you can just use an app or use a touch pay and go at it that way, so the scam artist has no way or no opportunity to take your credit card transaction from that machine.”
There are other tips released by the Better Business Bureau to help avoid these sorts of data breach mishaps. For one, be diligent. Keep an eye on your bank records. Any purchases that don’t look familiar be sure to contact your credit card company, the store where the charge took place, and the Better Business Bureau.
Also, go to an actual teller if you need to withdraw money. ATMs are more susceptible to hacking because there’s such a steady flow of traffic. If you must stop at an ATM, go to one that inside of a bank rather than a standalone kiosk.
Lastly, go with the old faithful habit of covering up your pin with your hands. Your numbers are nobody’s business. Create a barricade with your spare palm as you enter any pertinent information.
