BOSTON, MA — Boston Police removed a skimming device and makeshift pinhole camera from a Santander ATM inside a CVS pharmacy on Border Street between June 5 and June 6.
The standalone ATM is located inside the CVS at 210 Border Street.
Victims reported the card slot felt tighter than usual and a panel above the keypad appeared to be made of different plastic material than the rest of the machine.
A small hole and a missing store decal were also observed on the ATM.
Officers from District A-7 removed the devices.
Police say skimming crimes involve criminal groups installing hidden electronic devices on ATMs and payment terminals to steal card information.
Skimming incidents are common at pharmacies, gas stations and grocery stores, according to police.
Criminals install hidden devices inside ATM card reader slots that capture data stored on a card’s magnetic stripe or chip.
Criminals may also attach small pinhole cameras to record cardholders entering their PINs.
At checkout terminals, criminals use plastic overlay devices designed to look identical to a POS terminal to capture card data and PIN entries.
Police advise residents to use ATMs located inside financial institutions, near security cameras or at drive-up windows.
Residents should shield their PIN entry with their hand at all times and use contactless payment or chip-enabled cards when possible.
Anyone who believes their card information has been compromised should contact their card issuer’s fraud department immediately to report the incident, deactivate the card and request a replacement with a new PIN.
Residents can file a report with their local Boston Police district station at police.boston.gov/districts.
