New Westminster police are warning the public to watch out for card skimmers after receiving reports of credit card skimmers placed on parking pay stations.
A local resident told staff at the City of New Westminster that her credit card had been compromised after using a parking pay station in Sapperton.
City staff informed the police who investigated the complaint and discovered card skimmers had been placed on two pay stations – one along East Columbia Street, noted a press release from the department.
“The card skimmers were very similar to the standard card reader found on the pay station units. It would be difficult for a person to notice the difference between a tamper-free pay station and one that had a card skimmer attached,” said Sgt. Diana McDaniel, spokesperson for the New Westminster Police Department.
In light of this discovery, city engineering operations staff inspected all city-owned pay stations but did not turn up any additional card skimming devices. Staff will continue to inspect the pay stations on a daily basis, and have informed the manufacturer of the issue and will work with them on a preventative measure.
The City of New Westminster and the police department is encouraging anyone who may have used a public pay parking station recently to check their credit card statements and contact their bank and the police at 604-525-5411if there are any suspicious transactions.
New Westminster police are asking the public to protect themselves from such a scam by following the advice below:
Cover your keypad:Always use your hand and body to cover your keypad when operating a handheld pin pad or a payment processing machine like an ATM — even when alone. This will prevent shoulder surfers and pinhole cameras from observing your PIN number.
Watch your card:If you must hand your debit or credit card to an employee, don’t take your eyes off of it. It only takes a second for your card to be swiped while you look the other way.
Pay up front:When eating at restaurants, ask to pay at the terminal instead of giving your credit card to a server for processing.
Review your statements:View your bank and card statements on a regular basis. Watch for suspicious charges.
Notify someone: If you spot a suspicious pinpad or payment processing machine, notify someone immediately. If you are using a bank’s ATM and the bank is open, notify the bank manager. Otherwise, notify the local police.
