Customers on alert as authorities look for people accused of skimming bank cards at local ATM’s
Charlotte Crime Stoppers is looking for the people accused of putting card skimming devices on ATMs throughout the Charlotte area.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department believes it’s all connected to one Charlotte bank -- a State Employees Credit Union.
Now, customers are on high alert.
“It’s scary. I think it can be kind of scary,” one customer said. “These people know how to do everything now,” another said.
ALSO READ: More customers say thieves stole money out of Chime accounts
According to investigators, someone called police on Nov. 7 saying skimmers were targeting an ATM there. Crime Stoppers released photos of the men who they believe are to blame.
According to CMPD, the men would park by the bank, walk up to the ATM, place a skimming device on it and then leave. That device would then read and record card information when people would use the ATM.
CMPD needs your help identifying these suspects who have been placing skimming devices on ATM machines throughout the Charlotte area. Please be very aware of any place that you use your ATM card. ☎ Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 with your anonymous tip for 💰💰 for an arrest. pic.twitter.com/rER1smX6M7
— Charlotte Crime Stoppers (@CLTCrimeStopper) November 10, 2022
Then, police said those men would come back and pick up the skimmer, gaining access to all the data it collected.
Investigators believe this happened multiple times at a SECU bank near Mountain Island Lake, but police are now asking everyone to be vigilant because these skimmers could be elsewhere, too. A separate police report from Nov. 6 showed a similar skimmer incident happened at a Wells Fargo on South Tryon Street.
Police do not believe the two cases are related, but it’s enough to keep customers on high alert.
“I tend to go in the bank, I’m old school with going in the bank and i just think we have to be careful with all the digital ways of getting money,” one customer said.
CMPD said there are things to keep in mind when going to the ATM.
“If your card sticks in the machine or jams in the machine then you should not use it,” said CMPD Detective Ricky Smith.
Channel 9 reached out to the Charlotte SECU and learned they are giving victims new cards. They did not say how many people have been impacted.
(WATCH BELOW: 2nd man pleads guilty in skimming scheme that raked in $73K)
