Gainesville Police have expressed fear that ATM skimming, a scam creeping up Florida, could soon become a threat in Gainesville.
Skimming involves putting cameras and false card-readers on ATMs and has been a problem in cities such as Miami and Tampa, GPD spokeswoman Summer Hallett said.
The tools read and save account numbers, making it possible for criminals to manufacture fake credit cards using the numbers. The cameras can be hidden in leaflet holders near the machines, and some can read account numbers up to 200 meters away, Hallett said.
"These brochure holders can be the easiest way to tell whether ATM skimming is a problem at that bank," she said.
She said that card users should be aware of leaflet holders or card readers that look cheap, fake or out of place and call police to investigate if they have any concerns.
