SAVANNAH, GA (March 22, 2011): Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police are asking customers who may have used the Automated Transaction Machine at the SunTrust Bank in City Market to check their accounts for inappropriate charges. The ATM is located on Saint Julian Street at Jefferson Street.
A customer alerted police that he had discovered a “skimmer”, a device attached to an ATM to record bank card numbers and PIN numbers, last Thursday afternoon.
Sgt. Keith Edwards, director of the SCMPD Financial Crimes Division, said skimmers can be attached to the machines in various ways. Some simply record the numbers on the cards as they are inserted into the machine then video the PIN numbers as they are being entered. Others read the magnetic strips for information. Some actually transmit this information to thieves who then have access to the customers’ accounts.
The devise discovered last week recorded the information off the magnetic strip and stored it for retrieval later. Police feel they recovered the device before any information was provided, but advise customers who used the ATM to check with their banks to be safe.
Edwards said SunTrust Corporate Security advised him that similar devices have been found on ATMs in Tennessee.
Customers who used the ATM before early Thursday afternoon (St. Patrick’s Day), should check their accounts to determine if for charges unclear to them. If any are found, they should contact their bank immediately and call the Financial Crimes Division at 651-6735.
Leave a Reply