Skimming Device Found on Hudson Valley ATM

Thieves are targeting your ATM card this holiday season. An illegal skimming device was recently found at a local bank.

The Times Herald Record reports that Town of Cornwall police have arrested a man after they found the device on the door of the Chase Bank on Quaker Avenue. The skimmer was placed on a card reader that grants access to the ATM machine after hours. A pinhole camera was also found on the ATM that was allegedly used to steal information.

Skimmers are used by thieves to access information stored on an ATM card's magnetic strip. Usually a pinhole camera is installed with a skimmer to record the pin number of a card as it is entered into an ATM.

Elvis Karaj of Ridgewood was arrested after returning to the bank to remove the camera and skimmer. He was found with both devices in his possession and has been charged with possession of the illegal equipment. Authorities are continuing their investigation and may bring additional charges. Karaj is being held at the Orange County Jail on $5,000 bail.

Experts suggest that consumers follow a few tips when using an ATM machine. Tom's Guide, an online technology guide, recommends these 5 steps:

1. Look around. Notice any places in the ATM vestibule where a scammer could hide a tiny camera.

2. Take a close look at the keypad. Sometimes thieves place a fake keypad over the real one. If the keypad looks out of place, that may be a sign that something is up.

3. Look over the entire ATM for parts that don't match in styling, color or material. Some scammers place fake ATM parts over real parts of the machine that contain cameras and scanners.

4. Jiggle the card reader. If it moves that's a good sign that the reader is really a card skimmer. Usually skimmers are installed in a way that is easy for a thief to quickly remove it without being detected.

5. Cover your hands when you enter your PIN. This is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect yourself from an ATM scammer's hidden camera.

Finally, Tom's Guide suggests to use your gut. If an ATM seems suspicious your best bet is to go to another one.