Photo of the wires and battery of a skimming device found this week at Columbus Circle via MTA.
The MTA says that a customer found a skimming device on a credit card machine at the Columbus Circle subway station. The skimmer may have stolen credit card numbers from people trying to buy Metrocards. A camera was also found at the machine. The MTA sent out the following release:
MTA New York City Transit is asking customers to be vigilant when purchasing MetroCards at MetroCard Vending Machines (MVMs) after a skimming device and hidden camera were uncovered at an MVM inside the 59 St-Columbus Circle station (see photos below). The device was discovered last night around 9:30 p.m. attached to an MVM located on the north end of the southbound 1 Subway Line platform at Columbus Circle.
An unidentified customer noticed the device, removed it from the machine and brought it to the Station Agent on duty. The New York Police Department is investigating the device.
New York City Transit urges customers who have purchased a MetroCard at that location using a credit or debit card to immediately check with their bank or credit card company to determine if their accounts show any signs of unauthorized activity.
“We have already dispatched personnel to check all MVMs system-wide today for other devices,” said MTA New York City Transit President Carmen Bianco. “As was the case yesterday, we continue to ask our customers ‘If You See Something, Say Something,’ particularly if they notice any suspicious activity or device in our system.”
MTA New York City Transit will also develop a public information campaign to remind customers to be on guard when purchasing MetroCards at MVMs. The best way to avoid fraudulent activity is to sign up for the EasyPay MetroCard. The EasyPay MetroCard is linked to your credit or debit card, and refills automatically as you use it. EasyPay customers never have to make a purchase at a MVM and have the added convenience of using automated telephone service or www.easypaymetrocard.com to track their account 24/7.
If you ever visit Europe, be very aware of this scam. Even bank ATMs and railroad ticketing machines are sometimes rigged. Always cover the keypad when entering your password!
i would appreciate labelled or more revealing photos.
how easy is it to detect?
is the entire black metrocard reader (in the photo) the device? did the installers jackhammer the actual reader out to install their own version?
does it simply slide out when pulled?
By all means be careful; however, since the NSA has been harvesting credit card and other information from Heart Bleed instead of shutting it down who knows where your credit card information may already be. Will someone please arrest the NSA.
If you believe that the NSA needed Bleeding Heart to collect credit card information, I have a nice connection between Manhattan and Brooklyn for sale for you. That particular information has been available to the American, Chinese, Israeli (and probably Russian) intelligence services for many years now.