matt durnan
Rocky View Publishing
At least 130 individuals were victims of fraud or attempted fraud in a sophisticated debit card skimming operation in the Cochrane area.
A local fast food establishment was targeted and the point of sale terminal (debit/credit card keypad) was compromised, according to police.
The Cochrane RCMP are warning the public to protect themselves against possibly revealing their PIN (personal identification number) or using a terminal that has been tampered with.
The RCMP advise residents not to use a terminal or keypad that looks strange for any reason and to alert an employee immediately.
Skimming is when a thief “skims” or swipes the information from a debit or credit card’s magnetic stripe and uses it to create a duplicate card; in doing so they are able to capture your PIN number and steal money from your account, according to the RCMP website (www.rcmp.ca).
Business owners are asked to secure their terminals so that removal from the store is very difficult.
Owners are also instructed to inspect the machines regularly for any evidence of tampering and to be aware of persons who attend the business in groups and attempt to distract employees in order to swap out the terminal.
The scams and fraud section on the RCMP website advises that you keep your debit and credit cards in a safe place, protect your PIN as well as change it regularly and to conduct your banking transactions at the location where you feel most secure.
RCMP also advise residents to check account statements regularly and report any suspicious activity to their bank immediately and then contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
