ATM SKIMMER FOUND AT LOCAL 7-11
A #SanMarcos man’s discovery is the latest on an ever-growing list of exposed scams targeting 7-Eleven customers in #NorthCounty.
The man, who did not want to be identified, tells News Flash Media he saw a video online of someone exposing a card skimming device at another 7-Eleven location. Armed with the newfound knowledge, he noticed the same signs of a skimmer when he reached checkout during his late-night trip Thursday at the store in the 1600 block of W San Marcos Boulevard. “I informed the cashier and we just pried it off”, he recalled.
Internet sleuths and those who have nearly been scammed advise the public to look for a gap near the bottom row of numbers on the keypad. They say if there is a visible gap, the keypad is part of a skimmer placed atop the genuine payment processing machine.
“This stuff makes me sick to my stomach”, a man who almost got scammed at a #Vista 7-Eleven said last month. In that case, the vigilant customer gave the reader a tug and revealed the elaborate operation. The skimmer even had a sticker reading “security” laid on top, adding to the deception. An image provided from that instance shows the same gap referenced by the man nearly scammed in #SanMarcos Thursday.
Despite being the most common culprit, not all skimmers exposed in #NorthCounty were found at 7-Eleven locations. In December, a woman was seen pulling off an alleged skimmer at an Arco gas station in #Escondido. If you encounter one of the faux devices, you’re asked to contact your local authorities. Many say it is important to make your own report rather than relying on the store’s employees to do so, as some skimmers may be part of an inside job.
