Card skimming device discovered: Police warn ATM users to be vigilant

Police are warning people to be careful when using '˜hole in the wall' cashpoints following the discovery of a card skimming device on an ATM in Lurgan.
Editorial image.Editorial image.
Editorial image.

The skimming device was discovered on an ATM at Flush Place on Thursday, January 5.

A post of the Craigavon PSNI Facebook page said: “Thankfully, due to some alert ATM staff, this was recovered before anyone was out of pocket but we do believe several people lost their cards.”

The post goes on to warn people that “scammers and skimmers are about, but there’s a few simple things you can do to protect yourself.”

The advice from police is simple:

• Always protect your pin, from behind and above, to guard against hidden cameras and someone looking over your shoulder.

• Don’t let yourself get distracted. Don’t use ATMs whilst wearing headphones or on a phone call. If someone starts talking to you for no reason and appears to be trying to distract you, either finish your transaction before speaking to them, or cancel it. Never turn your back on the ATM to talk to someone while you’re using it.

• If your card is taken unexpectedly, don’t walk away from the machine. Contact your bank and, unless it’s been genuinely been withheld because it’s out of date or you’ve forgotten your pin number, have them cancel or put a block on your card.

The PSNI’s post concludes: “If you see suspicious activity around an ATM, alert the bank and ourselves. Following these simple steps will make it near impossible for scammers to profit.”

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