Debit card skimming, big news.

[Quinetiam]

I got skimmed at Safeway in Calgary Alberta Canada.

2 Transactions went through an ATM in Thailand within 2 hours of my last debit transactions.

My Credit Union gave me the money back, around $600

This was done REMOTELY.

Some guy got up within 1 meter of me in the line as I was entering my PIN.

I actually heard a beep, like some kind of scanner.

The idiot Safeway manager tries to tell me it's impossible to scan the card remotely, well this fancy new chip card just got hacked wirelessly.

Everybody argues until they see the video, but there it was as plain as day.

So, tell anybody behind or around you to back off!

Beware of unusual card machines or ATMs.

Check your transactions all the time.

[ALS]

I'm old school and try to pay cash or check for almost everything. Big Items and when I buy something on the Internet yes I use a credit card. The absolute worst place to use your credit card is at the gasoline pump. If you need to use your credit card to buy gas go inside and do the transaction at the counter, never at the card reader on the pump. Try to use bank owned ATMs and not the independent no name units.

At work my card reader at the cash register is set up in such a way it is virtually impossible to hack from outside the business. Any information kept electronically is isolated from the Internet and never networked.

Even before your post I've been thinking about getting a wallet with a built in Faraday cage or a metal wallet that is essentially the same thing to protect myself from walk by hacking.

[Ray4AJ]

Originally Posted by Quinetiam

I got skimmed at Safeway in Calgary Alberta Canada.

My Credit Union gave me the money back, around $600

Glad you got your money back!

I had heard about that wireless stuff but I didn't believe it!

It's generally a better idea to only use a debit card at your own bank's ATM. The consumer is much better protected against fraud when credit cards are used (at least in the US, not sure about Canada,) and bank accounts can't be emptied. Then just pay the credit card each month whatever amount you would have used the debit card for. It balances out. Also, sometimes there are rewards from credit cards. Credit card issuers are also really good at detecting fraudulent transactions.

I realize that circumstances vary for each person.


Pre-post edit:

What ALS said.

[Quinetiam]

I concur, credit-card all the way.

The credit union told me that this was a spate about 50 incidents in their area just in the last week, not to mention all the other banks.

I cut right through the BS because I know the head of Safeway's security in Calgary, the video don't lie... this was a wireless hack.

By the way, any RFID chip an be hacked.


You guys know all the new Drivers License and IDs have RFID chips right?

If they are in a Cell Tower block they can be tracked and hacked.