(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) is warning the community of a rising trend in credit card skimmers being installed at grocery stores, large retailers, and restaurants.
According to CSPD, criminals hoping to steal credit card information will typically place credit card skimmer devices at gas stations. However, over the last several months, CSPD said it has seen a rise in cases of skimmers being installed at retail establishments and at restaurants where customers pay directly using a card reader.
CSPD said criminals use these small, discreet devices, often placed over legitimate card readers, to capture a consumer’s card information when they swipe or insert it. Once they retrieve the stolen data, criminals can quickly drain bank accounts or use credit card information for fraudulent purchases.
These skimmers can be installed in seconds without the retailer even knowing they have been installed, and they are often difficult to spot to the untrained eye, meaning anyone could fall victim to this crime.