Debit Card Fraud: 7 Ways to Counter New Skimming Scams

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Young or old, if you are going to use a debit card you need to take precautions. Here's how:

1. Cover your PIN. Your bankcard won't work without the PIN. Thieves usually obtain the PIN with a small camera stationed near the card processor.


2. Be selective with your ATM. Use an ATM inside a bank whenever possible. Stay away from ATMs in remote locations.

3. Leave some wiggle room. When you insert your card, wiggle it while it's in the slot. Wiggling the card might jar the theft device from its hiding place.

4. Monitor your accounts. One of the best protections against continued use of your stolen information is to check bank statements regularly.

5. ATMs and gas pumps that are under video surveillance are less likely to be fitted with card-skimming equipment.

6. Keep an eye on your card. When you give your card to a waiter or clerk, be skeptical if they must leave your sight.

7. Be careful at the gas station. Gas stations are among the most prone to skimming. Use a credit card or choose the credit option on your bankcard.

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Master credit card thief claims US government Secret Service authorized his crimes

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A year ago, Albert Gonzalez confessed to having led an operation that stole more than 130 million credit and debit card numbers by hacking into computers at TJ Maxx and other retailers and was sentenced to twenty years in prison. Now he wants his conviction overturned on the grounds that the US Secret Service authorized him to do it.

In a habeas corpus petition filed on March 24, Gonzales writes, “I still believe that I was acting on behalf of the United States Secret Service and that I was authorized and directed to engage in the conduct I committed as part of my assignment to gather intelligence and seek out international cybercriminals. ... I now know and understand that I have been used as a scapegoat to cover someone’s mistakes.”

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