Credit Card Skimmer Found in Bradenton ATM

BRADENTON, FL — The Bradenton Police Department is asking folks who withdrew money from an ATM machine at a 7-Eleven store on 14th Street West to check their banking statements closely.

According to the agency, a debit/credit card skimming device was found in the machine inside the store at 902 14th St. W. on Tuesday, Sept. 20. A technician from NCR Corporation made the discovery.

“The exact length of time the skimming device was on the ATM is not known at this time,” the agency wrote in an email to media.

On Monday, Sarasota County Sheriff’s deputies issued a similar warning to residents. In that case, the skimmer was found on a gas pump at a 7-Eleven in the 5000 block of Clark Road. The device was discovered around 7 p.m. Sept. 18.

Skimmers are high-tech devices meant to capture a person’s debit or credit card information when a card is swiped at the pump or used at an ATM. Skimmers are generally placed inside gas pump or ATM cabinets, making them very difficult for victims to spot.

Credit card skimmers are an ongoing concern in Florida. In April 2015, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced it had worked with local law enforcement agencies across the state to check more than 6,000 gas stations. All told, about 81 skimmers turned up.

Bradenton Police offer this advice for spotting a possible skimming device on an ATM:

• Juggle the card reader. If it moves too easily, something might be wrong.
• Examine the ATM machine for anything that looks out of place. A bottom panel that is a different color than the rest of the machine might indicate a fake panel installed over the real one.
• Examine the keyboard. If it looks too thick or doesn’t seem right, it could be an overlay.
• Check for cameras above the screen or keypad.

“For basic security, always shield the keyboard with your hand in the event there is a skimmer that utilizes a camera, and check your banking accounts and credit card accounts on a regular basis,” the department’s email said. “Notify your bank or other financial institutions as soon as possible, in the event there are unusual transactions on your accounts.”

Anyone who used the ATM at the 14th Street West 7-Eleven in the past week and has noticed unusual transactions on their accounts is asked to call Detective N. Camacho Jr. at 941-932-9312. Tips in regard to the case may also be called into Crime Stoppers at 866-634-8477.

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