In many ways, using a credit card is more convenient than carrying around cash. First and foremost, you only have to carry one slim card as opposed to several bills, and using credit or debit makes payment a breeze. (Who doesn't love Tap & Go?) However, you might want to rethink using your card the next time you head to Walmart: Bad actors are now targeting card users and their data at over a dozen of the big-box retailer's stores. Read on to find out which locations were found to have credit card skimmers.
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What is a credit card skimmer?
CC Photo Labs / ShutterstockAccording to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), skimmers can be added to ATMs and fuel pumps, as well as point-of-sale (POS) terminals, like those you use at Walmart and other retailers. The skimmers are attached to devices in an attempt to steal data or PINs. Shoppers don't always notice the skimmer when paying with a credit or debit card, as it typically blends in with the machine's existing hardware, according to Bankrate.
Some skimmers store the information until a thief comes back to retrieve it, but more sophisticated skimmers can send your information and stolen data to bad actors via Bluetooth. If they're cell-enabled, the device can text your data anywhere, Samantha Baltzersen, supervisor for the FBI's cyber team at the Albany Field Office, told Syracuse.com.
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Skimmers were found in two states so far.
Shutterstock / Alexanderstock23According to a July 14 segment on Good Morning America (GMA), skimmers have been found at 16 Walmart stores in New York and Maine.
In security footage obtained by the outlet, three suspects are seen putting the skimmer in place at a Walmart in Oswego County, New York. In less than 30 seconds, one bad actor installs the skimmer, while two accomplices shield him on either side.
But this expands beyond the Oswego store, with skimmers found at 13 other stores in New York. According to GMA, skimmers were found at Walmart locations in Granby, Camillus, Auburn, Canandaigua, Geneva, Painted Post, Ithaca, Waterloo, Johnson City, Norwich, Cortlandville, East Syracuse, and Central Square. Two Walmarts in Maine—in Windham and Sanford—also had skimmers on credit card machines.
"You think your information is safe, and unfortunately, there's going to be a lot of victims involved in this incident—multiple Walmart locations, multiple states, multiple counties—I mean, this could be astronomical," Trooper Lynnea Crane, public information officer for the New York State Police, told GMA.
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Walmart said that it's "adding enhanced security measures."
ShutterstockPolice are looking for the three suspects in the security footage from the Oswego Walmart, and according to ABC-affiliate WSYR, there have not been any confirmed victims from the skimming. For its part, Walmart stressed that customer safety is paramount.
"Providing customers with a safe shopping experience is a top priority," Walmart told GMA in a statement. "[We are] reviewing protocols and adding enhanced security measures to better protect in-store transactions."
Best Life reached out to Walmart for comment and will update the story upon hearing back.
Be cautious whenever you use your credit or debit card.
ratmaner / ShutterstockBrad Leonard, Assistant to Special Agent in Charge at the Miami Field Office of the U.S. Secret Service, told GMA that these crimes are typically well-organized, with multiple people involved (including those who make the skimmers, those who install them, and those who "cash out the proceeds"). Still, there are ways to keep yourself safe from crafty bad actors.
Per FBI recommendations, give POS systems (or ATMs) a once-over before using them—and don't use them if anything seems off. Before you enter your pin, pull at the edges of the keypad to check for an overlay, and cover your hand to prevent cameras from recording you.
Lastly, be aware that fewer skimmers can steal chip data, so upgrade your card if you're still required to swipe every time you pay.
