Credit card skimmers becoming more common as thieves drain bank accounts

BOSTON – It's the kind of crime you don't always see coming, and yet it is one that could have a significant impact on your bank or credit card account.

Credit card skimming is one of the most common types of fraud.

A local police sergeant told WBZ-TV the process criminals are using to potentially steal from your account is becoming more common.

A local family is sharing their story, hoping it will encourage others to be vigilant the next time they swipe their card.

"I never thought it would happen to us. This was very shocking," Kayla Baillargeon said.

Baillargeon said it started last month, when she and her partner Victor Almodovar, were trying to withdraw money.

"We just got our taxes, so we withdrew that money. There is at least $700 or $800 still in the account," Baillargeon explained.

At least, that's how much was supposed to be there.

"It was saying denied. Insignificant funds," said Baillargeon.

"It's kind of strange to think the money is not here. So, I went through my app," Almodovar added.

That's when Victor and Kayla learned there was just $80.00 remaining.

"I'm like '$80?! There's no way!' So he showed me his phone and it said withdrawal, from another ATM that was out of our network. So, they also charged fees on that and it was done three times," Baillargeon said.

That left the couple out of about $700 plus fees.

"How can someone take out money out of my account, without a physical debit card? It just didn't make any sense," Baillargeon said.

A little Googling helped them to realize, they had become victims of credit card skimming.

Skimming happens when criminals install illegal devices on ATMs, Point of Sale (commonly known as POS) terminals or fuel pumps, to capture your data.

From there they can use your information to create fake credit or debit cards to steal money from your account.

"They are good at what they do. They only have to be right once," Sgt. Sean Paine of the Sturbridge Police Department said.

Paine said a local truck stop was recently hit with several devices on their pumps. He said they are not hard to spot if you are paying attention.

"Do the physical check, do the visual check. You will be able to, in most cases, pull the device right off of the card reader," Paine said.

According to FBI.gov, "It is estimated that skimming costs financial institutions and consumers more than $1 billion each year."

Fortunately, Kayla's bank eventually refunded her money, but they still hope the person that did this gets caught.

"I was so grateful because we have bills we have to pay, we have children, and nothing is free. Food has gone up, gas is going up. I'm glad that we're not living paycheck-to-paycheck, but at the same time we had to wait for those funds before we could move forward with doing family activities or going out and doing things," Baillargeon said.

Here are some ways the FBI says you can protect yourself: 

• Use ATMs in a well-lit, indoor location
• Use debit or credit cards with chip technology
• Look for anything visually unusual about the card reader 

For more information, visit the FBI's website.