Several financial institutions in the Tallahassee area have reported finding skimming devices on some of their ATMs. It is important to understand what skimming is and how to protect yourself from it.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), skimming occurs when devices illegally installed on or outside ATMs, point-of-sale (POS) terminals or fuel pumps capture card data and record cardholders’ PIN entries. Criminals use the collected data to create fake payment cards and then make unauthorized purchases or steal from victims’ accounts.
The United States Secret Service (USSS) flyer includes advice on mitigation and prevention for individual cardholders as follows: “Immediately contact the card issuer’s fraud department to report the incident, ask that the card be deactivated, and ask that a new card be issues with a new PIN. Monitor the affected account closely.If you suffered a financial loss as a result of the skimming incident, consider filing a fraud affidavit with the card issuer and contacting your local law enforcement agency to report the incident. In the future, consider making purchases using cards which can transact through contactless payment (i.e., tap-to-pay) or with the card’s new EMV chip, instead of the magnetic strip.”
For additional resources, please visit:
- https://www.secretservice.gov/investigations/skimming
- https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/skimming
About AAABC (Area Agency on Aging of Broward County)
Sponsored by the Areawide Council on Aging of Broward County and the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, the Area Agency on Aging of Broward County is the nonprofit umbrella organization charged with the responsibilities of planning, coordinating, monitoring, and funding programs designed to meet the needs of over 497,917 year-round Broward older adult residents including an Elder Helpline, Medicare Counseling, Health & Wellness classes and more. As the prime advocate for local Older Americans, the AAABC contracts with administering organizations for the following programs: senior centers; senior day care; site meals; home-delivered meals; Alzheimer’s in-home and facility respite; minor in-home repair; legal; transportation; homemaker personal care; respite; emergency response; and case management. Please visit our website for detailed information on all of our services. https://www.adrcbroward.org/
A Public Service Announcement from the Area Agency on Aging of Broward County, the state-designated disability and aging resource center for Broward County funded in part by the State of Florida Department of Elder Affairs.
