WEST WENDOVER, Nev. (ABC 4 News) - Police have located 'skimming' devices at some automated teller machines and gas pumps in the West Wendover area.
West Wendover Police say that in recent weeks, victims have reported that their credit or debit card accounts were being fraudulently accessed and money withdrawn.
Police warned that anyone using credit or debit cards to make purchases or obtain money at ATMs, 24 hour gas pumps, or other machines designed for credit cards to use them with caution.
Police say investigators were working to identify those responsible, as at least two credit card skimming devices were discovered that had been inserted into credit card readers of equipment at local businesses.
Police say the ‘skimmer’ is a crude homemade device used to capture the credit card information from the magnetic stripe as the card is swiped by an unsuspecting business patron. That information is then stored and later accessed remotely or downloaded to a computer when the ‘skimmer’ is retrieved by the person who initially placed it into the electronic device. That credit card information can then be used to make other fraudulent purchases.
The West Wendover Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating information about suspect information in this matter. Anyone having information about the persons responsible for placing the ‘skimming devices’ inside the equipment in local businesses was asked to contact the West Wendover Police Department at (775) 664-2930.
----Information from: West Wendover Police Dept.