ATM skimming explained

At first glance, everything appears normal at the ATM. No one suspicious is lurking around. The area is filled with people. Then, you notice a piece of bulky plastic attached to the card slot. You examine it, but ultimately shrug and insert your card.

You are now $500 poorer and have just been victimized by a skimmer, and some of the newest identity theft technology to hit Raleigh. Here’s how it works:

Skimmers are electronic devices that are cleverly disguised to blend in with an ATM’s appearance. Their purpose is to record the information that is stored on the magnetic strips of debit and credit cards. “They sound complex, but they’re actually quite simple and can have devastating effects on their victims,” said Cory Mathes, a security officer at the North Carolina State Employees’ Credit Union (NCSECU).