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On Monday, Oct. 16, evidence of a card skimming device was discovered on two Verve ITMs. Impacted Verve members were contacted and will get a new card. The process to notify impacted non-Verve card issuers is underway. All reported unauthorized withdrawals have been refunded. Verve ITMs have been inspected and are safe to use and will be monitored on an ongoing basis.   

What is card skimming?  

Card skimming occurs when a physical device is illegally installed on an ATM/ITM, point-of-sale terminal, or gas pump. The device uses a cleverly concealed camera to record a user’s card information and PIN. Criminals then use that data to steal money directly from victims’ accounts.  

 

How to spot a card skimming device:  

Knowledge is your best defense against skimming scams, and these videos are a good staing point for knowing what to look for.    

 

How to avoid card skimming 

To decrease the risk of card skimming scams, practice these basic precautions: 

  1. Visually and physically inspect card readers and pin pads before use. 
  2. When you can, run transactions as credit instead of debit so you don’t need to enter your PIN.  
  3. If you need to run the transaction as debit, be sure to shield the keypad with your hand when entering your PIN or other information, even if no one’s around.  
  4. Review your financial accounts regularly. Contact your financial institution or card company as soon as you notice any discrepancies.  
  5. Never share passwords, verification codes, or personal information with others.  

 

How Verve and Fraud Squad can help  

Our Fraud Squad provides education about common scams to retailers and consumers. The program helps raise awareness of common scams so they can more easily recognize the lies and avoid phone, email, social media, gift card and other scams to help them protect their financial health and wealth.  

If you think your Verve account is at risk because of any scam, call Verve at 800.448.9228. One of our team members can look at your account with you to verify there are no suspicious transactions, help you cancel your card if you’ve entered your number into a questionable website, as well as guide you on how to safeguard your account against fraud.  

It’s Verve’s goal to provide education, training, and information to help our members stay financially fit. Verve is committed to keeping our members educated when it comes to their finances by providing details on financial risks and ways to stay safe.  

Help your friends and family stay safe against scams by sharing this blog post.