Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to steal people’s credit card information. No, it isn’t because everything is easier to steal; it’s just that methods of robbery are getting more advanced. A man in Westlake, Ohio, was arrested when surveillance cameras discovered him inputting a card-skimming device at the checkout area of a Market District. I’ve always been fascinated by the lengths people will go to try and scam someone.
In the above video, a man is seen checking out at a Market District checkout. As he is being helped by the associate behind the register, another person briefly distracts the employee. This is when you can see the man at the card machine placing what appears to be a paper-thin device around it. These devices can be incredibly undetectable and steal payment information with a single swipe.
At the time, the man’s actions went unnoticed. However, after a short while, surveillance cameras were checked to find any additional information about the man. Fortunately, authorities utilized license plate reading technology to locate the vehicle and the two men who were part of the crime. Both of them had fake IDs and were wanted in Romania for different crimes.
“NEED TO AUDIT EVERY STORE …..SOMEONE IN THE STORE KNEW I BET THAT WAS TO COMFORTABLE HE DIDNT EVEN LOOK OVER HIS SHOULDER SO WHO EVER CAME INTHAT LINE THAT DAY NEED TO BE LOOKED AT THAT A RE CYCLE BEND IF YOU KNOW YOU KNOW”
Card-skimming schemes have been occurring in the Ohio area for quite some time. Because one happened at such a public location, Market District’s parent company, Giant Eagle, confirmed that it communicated with shoppers to warn them of the incident and encourage them to use tap payment features instead. Realistically, if a shopper finds any anomalies with the card reader when they go to check out, it should be reported, and a completely different reader should be used.
This video underscores just how easy it can be to steal someone’s credit information. Unfortunately, this crime is not victimless, despite funds being protected by the individual victim’s bank. I recommend taking a look at the card reader wherever you go next to be careful of anything like mismatched buttons, peeling faceplates, and more. Realistically, if you can use a tap payment, I would go with that rather than risk anything.
