DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. — Consumers who use ATMs at local banks are being warned by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office of a man suspected of trying to steal information by installing card skimmers.
Card skimmers are fake card readers installed on real card readers that can steal a person's information.
The sheriff's office said the man tried to install skimmer devices on ATMs at a local bank, but he ended up damaging the actual card readers, instead.
In a post to X, formerly Twitter, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said the damage the man caused to ATMs actually "helped prevent anyone from being victimized, but his intentions were obviously criminal."
The sheriff's office noted that if he had tried to install the skimmers at one bank, he likely has tried it at other locations. They reminded consumers to double-check any ATM device before using it to make sure it hasn't been tampered with.
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They offered tips to figure out if an ATM device has a skimmer attached to it:
- Try to jiggle the card reader to see if it's loose or if it appears damaged around the device.
- Check the keypad to see if it feels off or uneven, it could be a skimmer.
- If it doesn't feel right, don't use the ATM – trust your gut and alert your bank immediately.
The sheriff's X post included pictures of the man suspected of trying to install the skimmers at a bank, along with pictures of a car the suspect was seen driving.
If you recognize him or his car, please contact the Douglas County Sheriff's Office tip line at 303-660-7579 and reference Case #2024-00001781.
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