How to Spot a Credit Card Skimmer
If you’re not actively looking, credit card skimmers are easy to miss. They’re built to blend in with the machine — matching colors, shapes, and general design.
Before you insert or tap your card, take five seconds to do a quick visual and physical check.
1. Scan for Extra Parts or “Off” Details
- Look for cameras: Check above and around the keypad for pinhole cameras or small devices pointing toward the keys. Anything that seems oddly placed, especially near where you enter your PIN, deserves a second look.
- Check for mismatched pieces: Make sure the color and style of the card reader, bezel (the frame around the slot), and keypad all match the rest of the machine. Unusual attachments, thick plastic around the card slot, or pieces that look newer or cheaper than the rest can be a red flag.
2. Push, Pull, and Wiggle
Skimmers that sit on top of machines (overlays) often aren’t as solid as the original hardware. A quick, firm nudge can reveal them.
- Card slot: Grip the card reader and give it a wiggle. If it feels loose, creaks, or shifts more than you’d expect, walk away and alert staff.
- Keypad: Press down on the edges of the keypad. Hanson notes that an overlay may feel “off” — thicker, raised, or squishy compared to a standard ATM keypad.
As Hanson warns, “Depending on the skill set of the fraudster and the skimmer they are using, it’s very hard to tell if the machine you’re using is compromised because the skimmer is installed inside the machine. There are still ‘overlay skimmers,’ so you’d be able to tell the place you put your card into is loose. Also, the keypad may feel off; if it feels or looks raised then likely there’s a fake overlay on the keypad.”
3. Compare to a Neighboring Machine
If there’s more than one ATM, pump, or terminal, compare them:
- Do they all look identical?
- Does one have a thicker bezel, extra sticker, or a different style of card reader?
If one machine looks or feels different, choose another or pay inside instead.
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