Although Walmart is the go-to store for many Americans when it comes to shopping for their families, several people have begun to notice something fishy. Seen on a few credit card scanners, some are now urging you to stop immediately if you spot one – and here’s what you need to know about them.

Criminals are becoming savvier, and they’re learning how to take advantage of flawed, new technology. Just that is the case as Walmart has most recently found themselves in the center of a new kind of fraud – and those responsible are targeting people just like you.

Although the newest instances have taken place in Virginia and Kentucky, officials are warning consumers to keep an eye out no matter what state they’re in. It’s called skimming, and all it takes is a single swipe of your credit card for criminals to get all the information they need to spend your money.

For those unaware, the practice usually consists of criminals creating a device that easily slips over the front of standard credit card machines. Looking identical to the machine, once the technology is in place, most people can’t even tell it’s there — unless they’re looking for it, of course.

Credit card skimming device (Photo Source: Komando)

Credit card skimming device after it’s been placed over the reader – you can’t even see it because it’s identical to the machine (Photo Source: Komando)

Once over the machine, the device records the information of any credit card that passes through it. In order to get pin numbers, cameras may be attached to show which buttons are pressed. This means that thieves could have full access to your bank account as well.

Police are currently looking for two men who installed a skimmer at a Fort Wright, Kentucky Walmart on May 11. The worst part is that the device wasn’t found until May 18, meaning that these guys have the information of everyone that used a credit card in that lane for an entire week, which is very likely a whole lot of people.

(Photo Source: WLWT)

A similar instance took place at the Central Park Walmart in Fredericksburg, Virginia. According to fredericksburg.com, “37 local credit union members had large withdrawals made from area ATM machines made with their stolen card numbers, which were obtained by the Walmart skimmer(s).”

Although these sly thieves may think they got away, Walmart officials, working closely with police, are hot on the case and promise that they’re doing everything to track these guys down. According to Walmart Senior Manager of Communications Erica Jones:

“First and foremost, we have zero tolerance for any crime against our customers, our associates or our company. As soon as we heard about the possible fraudulent activity in these stores, we took action to protect our customers. We are working with law enforcement authorities to investigate this activity and are taking additional steps to help ensure that our customers’ transactions are safe, including increasing store inspections.”

Credit card with skimmer attached (Photo Source: IJ Review)

Of course, you shouldn’t just be looking at Walmart for these devices, as they can be anywhere you swipe a credit card. Other places known to be targeted are gas station and ATMs. The key is to know what you’re looking for. As IJ Review reports, “Here are some tips to help you prevent your card from being ‘skimmed’”:

Know what to look for- if anything seems out of place, unusually bulky, or poorly affixed to the machine, gently tug on it. If it moves or comes away from the ATM, it may be a skimming device. Look for hidden cameras- skimming is a two-step process because criminals can also obtain your PIN. This is often done with a pinhole camera hidden on or near the machine. Look for anything that may have a tiny hole or slot for a camera to be placed inside, especially if it’s aimed at the keypad. These devices may be stuck to the top or side of the machine, or placed inside light fixtures above it. Know your surroundings- machines with a lot of customers, especially in tourist areas, are most likely to be targeted by criminals. When using an ATM especially, look for one that’s inside a bank or within the sight of a security camera, where scammers would be less likely to take a risk.

It’s about being informed and making sure you’re not taken advantage of. Although we like to think the police will be there to protect us, the often don’t show up until after the crime has already taken place, since they simply can’t be everywhere all the time. The parasites of this world are out there and lurking around every corner to try to take what isn’t theirs. Hopefully, by educating ourselves, we can prevent that from ever becoming a reality – and heck, maybe we can even get some of these scumbags locked up in the process.