Fairfax County’s Police Department is warning holiday shoppers to stay alert about credit card skimming devices. A team of FCPD detectives and U.S. Secret Service agents recently conducted a countywide skimmer-detection operation. Authorities investigated more than 100 Fairfax County locations and recovered 20 credit card skimming devices.
FCPD says that credit card skimming devices “are often small, discreet, and designed to blend in seamlessly with legitimate card readers. They can be found at ATMs, gas pumps, and even self-checkout machines.”
The team searched 287 point-of-sale terminals, 158 ATMs, and 46 gas pumps. Skimming devices were located at multiple convenience, discount, and grocery stores throughout Fairfax County and the Town of Herndon.
FCPD says no arrests were made during this operation. However, investigators are sharing data, analyzing patterns, and pursuing leads that may connect these devices to larger fraud networks.
How to Protect Yourself from Skimming Devices
FCPD offers these tips to help protect yourself:
- Before using an ATM or gas pump, look closely at the card reader and keypad. If the card slot looks loose, bulky, or mismatched in color or material compared to the rest of the machine, it could be a skimmer.
- Check for hidden cameras. Skimmers are often paired with tiny cameras aimed at capturing your PIN.
- Look for any unusual attachments, pinholes, or objects positioned near the keypad.
- Do not accept assistance from anyone you don’t know while using an ATM or payment device. Scammers sometimes pose as helpful bystanders to distract you or capture your information.
- Cover your PIN. Always use your hand to shield the keypad while entering your PIN, even if you don’t see anything suspicious.
- Use familiar or well-lit locations. Whenever possible, use ATMs inside banks or high-traffic areas where criminals are less likely to install devices unnoticed.
- Monitor your accounts regularly. Review your bank and credit card statements frequently for unauthorized transactions — even small ones — which can signal a compromised card.
- Use contactless payment methods. Tap-to-pay cards or mobile wallets provide an extra layer of protection because they don’t transmit your physical card data.
If you believe you’ve been a victim of skimming, or if you notice a suspicious device, FCPD says you should not attempt to remove it. Instead, call their non-emergency number at 703-691-2131.
Feature image courtesy Volodymyr Herasymov/stock.adobe.com
