LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky authorities are warning the community about credit card skimmers appearing in retail and grocery stores.
In a post on social media, Elizabethtown Police (EPD) said over the past few months, they've had three cases of skimmers being set up in retail stores at both self checkout and staffed checkout counters.
"This scam can happen anywhere, big box stores or mom-and-pop stores," EPD spokesperson Chris Denham said.
Police found items that looked like your normal card readers placed over the pin pads. Denham said it's easy to mistake the real reader from the fake reader.
"It simply lays over the original equipment and as the victim enters their card, their information is compromised," he said.
They suggested using tap to pay instead of swiping or inserting your card as it may prevent the skimmer from accessing your info.
Anyone with info about skimmers in the Elizabethtown area can call police at (270) 765-4125 or Hardin County Crime Stoppers at (800) 597-8123.
How to protect yourself from skimming
One way is to do a quick scan of the pin pad to make sure it has not been tampered with. If it looks off, ask to use another one.
Second is to be weary of non-bank ATM's. There are ATM's at grocery stores, banks and bars, so make sure to use a secured ATM like at your bank.
Third, take advantage of mobile banking. This will allow you to insert or tap your card less, causing less exposure to the machines.
Lastly, block your pin number when typing so nobody can steal your private information.
Denham said there are two things to do if you think your information was stolen: contact your bank to make them aware of the fraud, and contact law enforcement immediately.
The sooner they know, the better chance the crime will be solved.