ATM and Card Reader Safety

Many people have recently received a credit card in the mail because their company sent them a free replacement card with improved safety measures. The difference between the old credit card and the new one is that the new credit card has a chip on the card in addition to the magnetic stripe that helps people protect their safety when it comes to swiping their card. This is one of the keys to making sure that people stay safe when it comes to the ATM and the card reader. Of course, there are a few other tips that people should remember as well.

Make Sure that the ATM is not Loose

Anyone who has ever used an ATM knows that these machines are heavy. They come complete with a massive amount of security equipment to protect the safety of the money inside the machine and the data of the customers who use it. One of the sure signs that an ATM has been tampered with is that the machine is loose. A machine breaks loose because people have peeled off the back of the machine and installed some software that siphons the data from the magnetic stripes of the cards that people use at the machine. Furthermore, a loose ATM could be a sign that the machine is a complete fake. People will often deploy fake ATMs that look like they dispense cash; however, when people swipe their card the machine doesn’t dispense any money and instead just takes people’s information. Never use a loose ATM.

Ask the Clerk to Swipe the Card at the Register

Clerks often have an additional way to swipe people’s cards instead of asking customers to use the card readers. In fact, this was one of the problems with the credit cards that led to the development of cards with encryption chips. Because the card readers are used by thousands of customers every day, people tamper with card readers while using them and install equipment that steals people’s information when they use the card reader. When subsequent people go to use the credit card machine, the software steals the information off of their magnetic stripe for the criminal to use. To avoid taking this risk, simply ask the clerk to swipe the card at the register instead. This can protect people’s information from getting stolen by the credit card reader.

Prioritize Safety to Protect Sensitive Financial Information

It is important that people are aware of the signs of potential financial danger in order to protect the safety of their information. Before using an ATM, make sure that the ATM shows up on the banking application site. This will help people know that the machine is not a fake. When using a credit card reader, look for any awkward chips or objects that might be sticking out from the device. This is a sign that someone has tampered with the machine. Finally, make sure to use a card with an encryption chip on it. This protects credit cards.