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Credit card skimmer found on Vail ATM

This photo shows the skimmer device found on a Vail ATM. Such devices allow thieves to download customers' credit card information remotely via Bluetooth.
Vail Police | Special to the Daily |

VAIL — Vail Police are warning consumers to stay alert for suspicious devices on ATMs after police seized a skimming device from an machine located inside the Vail Transportation Center. The device was attached directly over the card reader for the machine and was nearly impossible to detect by users.

Skimming devices read the information stored on the card while the card passes through the attached device. The vendor of the ATM machine, Alpine Vending, discovered the device after receiving a complaint from a customer who believed fraudulent activity on a credit card account was related to use of the machine.

The device may have been in place for weeks and was Bluetooth-enabled. Criminal hackers are increasingly using Bluetooth-enabled technology to reduce the time required to retrieve stolen data. Bluetooth-enabled skimming devices allow thieves to wirelessly retrieve captured credit card data. Thieves do not have to physically touch the skimmer and need only return to the Bluetooth range — within 30 to 300 feet — to download the stolen information.



Skimming devices are often paired with a tiny camera to detect the user’s personal identification number associated with the card. While no camera was located with the device from the Vail Transportation Center, it is good practice to conceal your personal identification number while entering it on the keypad.

The most effective way to guard against fraud is through close monitoring of your account activity, said Vail Detective Sgt. Annette Dopplick. She encourages customers to take advantage of their institutions’ early-warning alerts and offers the following advice:

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• When possible, use the same ATM and gas pumps so you become familiar with the appearance of the card reader.

• Skimmers often disrupt the smooth entry and exit of the card. If the card action seems jerky or uneven, notify the vendor.

• Inspect the card reader and the area near the number pad for any suspicious devices or tampered-with equipment.

• If using a debit card, attempt to conceal your personal identification number from visual detection by covering the keypad with your hand as you enter it.

• Use gas pumps and ATMs in plain view of passersby and surveillance cameras.

• Look at other nearby gas pumps or ATM card readers to see if they match the one you are using.

• For ATMs, inspect the device — look for uneven colors or loose number pads. Tug on the card slot before insertion.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the Vail Police Department at 970-479-2201.


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