This App Helps Users Detect ATM Skimmers
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Here's a new way to avoid a common scam.
ATM skimmers are a scam that happens all too common. A small chip equipped with a Bluetooth module is placed inside the credit card slots at ATMs and gas station pumps, and this lets thieves steal credit and debit card information when people swipe to use these machines.
These skimmers can be installed in less than 30 seconds and are hard to detect just by looking.
Electronics company Sparkfun has developed a potential solution, however. A smartphone app, the Skimmer Scanner, can detect these small pieces of hardware. Since skimmers rely on Bluetooth, the app automatically detects the Bluetooth then warns users.
For those interested, the app is free to download from the Google Play store, while an iOS app is planned for the future.
To learn more, check out the video below from CNET:
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