Credit card skimmers found at Pocatello ATMs

Pocatello police are warning people to be cautious when using ATMS after responding to two reports of credit card skimmers.

Although officers can’t say exactly where the skimmers were found, police said the devices were attached to two different Pocatello area bank ATMs on Friday.

Card skimmers are designed to look like a part of the machine. They usually are installed into the card reader, so they can grab information like the card and PIN numbers from the card’s magnetic strip. They can also be installed as attachments, like a faceplate. Attachments typically are armed with hidden cameras, pointed at areas like the keypad to record you putting in your PIN.

The Idaho Central Credit Union said modifications can even be made to an ATM’s keypad.

Amy Rhoades, president of Citizen Community Bank, said the key to protecting yourself from these machines is being aware of the little details.

“You want to make sure that the ATM that you’re going to, the device looks the same,” said Rhoades. “If you insert your card and it feels weird, then you definitely don’t want to enter any information into the ATM. Especially your PIN number.”

With the captured information, thieves can immediately make fraudulent charges to your account and even create a new card within five to 10 minutes, according to Rhoades. She also recommends making your transactions credit instead of debit, so you can bypass putting in your PIN.

The investigation has been handed over to the FBI.

Police warn that before you use an ATM, check to see if anything is suspicious. If something doesn’t seem right, let a manger check it out before you use the machine.