Credit/debit card skimmers are being found by law enforcement in Kentucky and eastern Indiana, and three of the devices were recently discovered in Elizabethtown.
“We’ve had at least 3 cases in the last few months of skimmers set up in local retail establishments at self check-out and even staffed check-out counters,” the Elizabethtown Police Department said.
The devices are installed on card readers and allow thieves to steal the card numbers. The thieves then use the stolen card numbers to make fraudulent purchases.
In addition to Elizabethtown, card skimmers have recently been discovered in Shelbyville and Lexington as well as in Evansville, Indiana.
The Shelbyville Police Department, after devices were discovered in a grocery store, said: “We ask that when you go to pay for your items in any store to look at the equipment where you insert or swipe your card very closely. If you see something that looks suspicious contact the store manager and have them … check the equipment before you insert or swipe your card.”
The skimmers, formerly almost exclusively placed on gas pumps, are now being found in restaurants and retail establishment as well as ATMs.
(Photo: Card skimmer seized in Elizabethtown, courtesy of the Elizabethtown Police Dept.)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
