What Is Skimming..And ways to prevent yourself from skimming..

We are living in the age of technology and whole world has become dependent on plastic money to an impressive degree.There is no doubt that the use of a credit card and ATM it is safer to go with large amounts of cash, but you have to keep your eyes on the skimming.

Skimming fraud is an act to obtain card information illegally and use without the permission of card holder.

This can be done by using various method but in this article i will try to cover about ATM skimmer.

An ATM Skimmer is a device that acting as a card reader and normally place over ATM card slots where you would insert your card.

When you insert your card into a cash machine there is a reader that interprets the information on your card’s magnetic strip, the ATM skimmer works on the same way and when you put your card in that machine that has a skimmer device than this device steal information in the magnetic strip on credit/debit card as they pass through the overlying skimmer.

In the case of ATM or debit cards the criminal requires the user PIN for successful transaction, PIN san be steal by insert a small camera nearby which record all the action of the user.

Skimming Spots

Normally this type of fraud has been done by a organized gangs operating in different countries, in some cases these groups are not directly involve in skimming but they just simply sell the fraudulent device to low-level and newbie criminal. The main common areas of skimming as follows:

• Bank ATMs
• Hotels
• Gas station 
• Merchant shops 

Protection

The most effective way to prevent this fraud is to create the awareness at all levels, banking system must have an ability to detect the skimming and banks should educate their staff regarding the common attacks.

Look around before using your card is there any piece of metal and plastic around the card reader, If an ATM looks suspicious, do not use it and alert the ATM owner.