MARSHFIELD, Wis (WSAU) — Authorities are warning residents to be on the look out for credit card skimming at local ATM machines and gas pumps across central Wisconsin, and to check for unauthorized activity on your credit and debit card accounts.
That’s the message from Marshfield Police Lt. Darren Larson who says that as of Wednesday afternoon there had been more than 20 reports of suspicious account activity by persons who had used Marshfield area ATMs in mid-November.
“We’re still receiving reports from residents that have been reporting unauthorized credit card or debit card transactions from a skimming device that was been placed on a couple ATMs in the city of Marshfield,” Larson said. ATMs on Marshfield’s north side at Simplicity Credit Union and Forward Financial are where the original transactions took place, but Larson says that doesn’t mean other Marshfield ATMs aren’t involved, as well as all around central Wisconsin. “Unfortunately, this is a very pervasive problem around the state. This is not unique right now. They are all over the state.”
Larson says to watch for skimming devices on both ATMs, and also at gas pumps; and that those devices are sometimes detectable, and sometimes not. “Clearly what happens is that these devices are replaced over the card scanning areas that would accept your debit card for an ATM withdrawal, and they’re affixed to that, and there’s a skimming device that’s attached to that unit.”
Police ask that you immediately report any unauthorized charges to your financial institution, as well as any other suspicious activity such as persons manipulating ATM machines that should be reported to law enforcement authorities.
