ST. LOUIS – St. Louis resident Ross Friedrich has seen reports about skimming devices used to steal bank information to commit fraud, hoping to not become a victim after learning about the latest news involving a federal indictment related to skimming.
“There’s plenty of opportunities for that to happen,” he said.
Friedrich uses tap to pay when it’s available, and when swiping a card, he checks the card reader for any signs it’s been tampered with.
“It (skimming) costs victims almost a billion dollars a year in the U.S. alone,” St. Louis Metropolitan Police Detective Will Hitchcock, an F.B.I. task force officer, said.
He said using contactless forms of payment or inserting the chip in a credit or debit card instead of swiping helps minimize the chances of becoming a victim. Hitchcock encourages shoppers to check their transactions routinely for any signs of fraud.
If there are any indications of a skimmer, he says to contact your local police department as soon as possible.
“Always start there,” he said. “Make that police report.”
The next step is to share the information at www.ic3.gov. The Internet Crime Complaint Center helps the FBI connect the dots when skimmers are placed in other cities.
“They’re able to collect that information and then ensure it gets to the right agency and right field office,” Hitchcock added.
Skimming crimes are on the rise not just in the St. Louis area but throughout the country.
For more information about protecting your bank information, click here.