Urgent warning over new self-checkout scam that staff and customers didn’t notice for days
Officials have issued an urgent warning about a sophisticated self-checkout scam targeting customers’ credit card information.
After recent warnings about skimmers appearing in Walmart and Kroger stores, scammers are now targeting gas stations.
The latest discovery involves a skimmer at a Sheetz self-checkout in Beavercreek, Ohio.
In response, Beavercreek police released images of two men suspected of installing the device and are asking for public help to identify them.
Card skimmers, often discreetly hidden on card readers or ATMs, are small AI devices that capture credit and debit card information, including card numbers and PINs.
Criminals can then use this information to create counterfeit cards or make unauthorized online purchases.
‘They look quite deceptive. They are mixed pretty well,” Beavercreek resident Jason Elting told WHIOTV.
The card skimmer was found at a Sheetz gas station in Beavercreek, Ohio
‘I try to be safe with my credit card anyway, I don’t use my debit card. I just use a credit card and look at it, make sure nothing fraudulent shows up,” said Elting, who regularly uses the gas station.
Still, the incident has made him a little more cautious about the way he shops.
Card skimmers have also plagued self-checkouts at major retail outlets such as Walmart and Kroger.
Earlier this year, staff at a Walmart in Connecticut discovered a card skimmer on one of their machines, about 18 days after it was placed there.
The suspects in that case were also caught using a camera to modify a skimming device on machines at nearby LaBonne’s Markets.
Similarly, fraudsters managed to plant a device on a self-checkout payment system at a Kroger supermarket in Atlanta, Georgia.
The trick was discovered by a store employee who immediately contacted the Atlanta Police Department.
How to avoid card skimming scams
Local District Auditor Kraig Hagler also provided advice to protect local shoppers.
‘I use my Apple wallet for most of my purchases. It does not reveal your actual credit card number,” Hagler told the newspaper.
Beavercreek police released a photo of the two men believed to have planted the device
‘A unique number is created for that one-off purchase. That makes it very difficult for someone to get your actual account information so they can take advantage of you,” he explained.
Hagler advised those who don’t use Apple Pay to use a credit card as it is more secure than a debit card as it is not linked to your actual cash.
“If it’s an older establishment but suddenly has a new credit card processor and the others still look dated or old, that should be a red flag,” Hagler added.
Dr. Vahid Behzadan, assistant professor of computer science at the University of New Haven, previously recommended staying vigilant by trying to spot anomalies.
Shoppers can do this by touching the card reader, regularly checking credit card payments for unusual transactions and even setting transaction notifications on a smartphone.