Seems like you ought to be able to buy bismuth foil tape to put over the mag stripe, and block any sort of reader. It's not like most of us ever need to use it.
Or erase your stripe.
Crazy Thin ‘Deep Insert’ ATM Skimmers
341–350 of 484 posts
Re: Crazy Thin ‘Deep Insert’ ATM Skimmers
#342Solution: clear your magnetic strip.
(Actually I haven't done this. But really, shouldn't it be that simple?)
Re: Crazy Thin ‘Deep Insert’ ATM Skimmers
#343Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Who are these businesses? Gas stations, parking meters, and ticket dispensers at most train/bus stations. They should replace them but I figure the problem is that they are built in to giant kiosks
I just do not goddamn care any more. The writing has been on the wall for years, and if your business is based around accepting credit cards and you continue to dig your head in the sand, that's on you.
So should all parking meters be replaced? Paid for by tax payers? How would you implement something like that?
Re: Crazy Thin ‘Deep Insert’ ATM Skimmers
#344> However, there are a great many smaller businesses in the United States that still rely on being able to swipe the customer’s card. Who are these businesses? Seriously, stop issuing cards without chips and send new card readers to theses businesses. End of story. Is it because US businesses use deeply embedded card readers in custom POS machines that aren't modular? Everywhere I go in South America and Europe, busi…
It's because of tiny gas stations in the middle of nowhere.
There are not many anymore without a CHIP reader, because VISA and Mastercard FINALLY stopped the delay of shifting liability for all fraud to the individual gas station in summer 2021.
Re: Crazy Thin ‘Deep Insert’ ATM Skimmers
#345It's crazy how I never carry cash anymore. I can't even think of the last time I used an ATM. I often just leave the house with my phone and buy stuff with apple pay. Also how is magnetic strip still a thing? I thought this was replaced with chip and tap years ago...
I love using cash. Sometimes I don't when my local ATM is down (which seems to happen so often...), but when I can it feels much better to me. No digital records, no potential for this type of skimmer or other scam, don't have to give up my ATM pin, no worrying about my phone running out of charge, able to give it away freely to anyone in need without setting up a digital transfer, the old taco truck still only takes…
there is no digital record on my Google Pay, because it is a tokenized system on top of a tokenized system
Re: Crazy Thin ‘Deep Insert’ ATM Skimmers
#346Earlier quoted context omitted.
I just do not goddamn care any more. The writing has been on the wall for years, and if your business is based around accepting credit cards and you continue to dig your head in the sand, that's on you.
So should all parking meters be replaced? Paid for by tax payers? How would you implement something like that?
In many European countries parking is paid with a mobile app these days. Very few use parking meters.
Re: Crazy Thin ‘Deep Insert’ ATM Skimmers
#347Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's because of tiny gas stations in the middle of nowhere.
There are not many anymore without a CHIP reader, because VISA and Mastercard FINALLY stopped the delay of shifting liability for all fraud to the individual gas station in summer 2021.
All my local stations are still on mag stripes.
Re: Crazy Thin ‘Deep Insert’ ATM Skimmers
#348> However, there are a great many smaller businesses in the United States that still rely on being able to swipe the customer’s card. Who are these businesses? Seriously, stop issuing cards without chips and send new card readers to theses businesses. End of story. Is it because US businesses use deeply embedded card readers in custom POS machines that aren't modular? Everywhere I go in South America and Europe, busi…
When Canada moved to Chip and Pin there was no fanfare. Merchants started getting chip terminals as part of the regular replacement cycle, consumers started getting chip cards as part of that regular replacement cycle, and eventually the terminals started telling users to insert their card. Interac was the first mover because most people were already familiar with swipe and pin, so the move to chip and pin was a virt…
The vast majority of terminals in the US use chip, but I doubt the US will ever require pin numbers for credit card purchases. It's just too inconvenient. Banks are willing to eat the tiny reversed transactions in exchange for making the payment flow more efficient.
Re: Crazy Thin ‘Deep Insert’ ATM Skimmers
#349> Once you become aware of ATM skimmers, it’s difficult to use a cash machine without also tugging on parts of it to make sure nothing comes off. But the truth is you probably have a better chance of getting physically mugged after withdrawing cash than you do encountering a skimmer in real life.
So keep your wits about you when you’re at the ATM, and avoid dodgy-looking and standalone cash machines in low-lit areas, if possible. When possible, stick to ATMs that are physically installed at a bank. And be especially vigilant when withdrawing cash on the weekends; thieves tend to install skimming devices on Saturdays after business hours — when they know the bank won’t be open again for more than 24 hours.
Lastly but most importantly, covering the PIN pad with your hand defeats one key component of most skimmer scams: The spy camera that thieves typically hide somewhere on or near the compromised ATM to capture customers entering their PINs.
Re: Crazy Thin ‘Deep Insert’ ATM Skimmers
#350> However, there are a great many smaller businesses in the United States that still rely on being able to swipe the customer’s card. Who are these businesses? Seriously, stop issuing cards without chips and send new card readers to theses businesses. End of story. Is it because US businesses use deeply embedded card readers in custom POS machines that aren't modular? Everywhere I go in South America and Europe, busi…
What is scary though is how easily the rfid can be read off of a person. It's a great thing to have but card issuers should include some kind of protective sleeve with every card rather than relying on the consumer to be both aware of and able to use an rfid blocking wallet.
I disabled mine on the card, and exclusive useless NFC payment from my banking app. That still requires my explicit authorization and is therefore a lot more secure. I started doing this during Covid when we weren't allowed to touch anything anymore, and I'm not going back.