How to Protect Yourself from Credit Card Skimmers

There are so many different ways scammers try to steal from you. It can feel exhausting trying to remain alert and informed. But that IS your best defense, and it costs you nothing. One currently hot trend is credit card skimming. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) estimates skimming costs financial institutions and consumers more than $1 billion each year. Here are the top tips the FBI gives for protecting yourself:

Do a quick scan.

Before using any machine, take a look to make sure it hasn’t been tampered with. If the card reader seems loose, crooked, or damaged, if the graphics aren’t aligned, or if part of the machine is a different color, don’t insert or swipe your card.

Check the keypad.

If the numbers are hard to press or feel thick, it might have a false keypad installed and you should move on to the next machine.

Use mobile wallet.

An alternative to swiping your card is paying by mobile wallet like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or Google Pay. This form of payment is secure because your credit card information is tokenized and rendered useless if a thief where to get a hold of it.

Pay inside.

If your local gas station hasn't yet updated their pumps to accept mobile wallet or your aren't sure if the machine is safe to use, go inside the service station to pay. Taking an extra minute to walk inside could save you a whole load of problems later on.

Stay in public view.

Always try to use machines that are in public view with security monitoring – these machines are less likely to be tampered with. For additional protection, use a machine inside the store or an ATM inside your bank.

Above all, trust your instincts.

If you suspect foul play, or if you’re in doubt about the authenticity of a machine, use a different machine or payment method.

For more information about card skimming, and ways to protect yourself, visit FBI.gov.

Even if you follow all these tips, you could still become a victim. If that happens, catching the fraud early is your best defense. Make sure to monitor your accounts closely, so you are able to recognize anything suspicious right away. Be sure to sign up for alerts from all the financial institutions where you have an account or credit card. That way, they will be watching closely as well, and will reach out to you if they spot anything suspicious. Unfortunately, there is no way to protect yourself 100% from fraud. But you can take steps to stop scammers in their tracks.