The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is offering up to a $1,000 reward for help identifying two men captured on surveillance cameras, installing a debit card skimming device that targets EDD debit cards into an ATM.
Five such devices have been found in Thousand Oaks.
EDD debit cards don't have the small square encryption chip, allowing the card to be skimmed more easily.
The wafer-thin devices fits invisibly in the card's slot to capture access card data and are usually paired with a pinhole camera nearby that captures the card’s PIN number.
Police also determined that suspects were targetting EDD debit cards.
Along with this device installed inside the ATM, suspects will usually install a “Pin Hole Camera,” which is glued or taped to the outside of the ATM machine in place of plastic already part of the machine, the department said. The “Pin Hole Camera” is used to capture a victim’s personal identification number (PIN number).
Anyone with information about the men, or the ATM skimming devices, can contact Ventura County Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).
TIPS:
The Thousand Oaks Police and the Sheriff’s Office recommends if at all possible utilizing a different form of payment, enter the financial institution to take out cash, or take extra precautions when using an ATM, by covering the key pad with your other hand to block the view of your PIN entry.