McKinney Woman Discovers Credit Card Skimmer At 7-Eleven, Preventing Others From Falling Victim
MCKINNEY, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Credit card skimmers account for over a billion dollars in fraud each year in the US. When you see how well hidden the one found inside the store was, you'll understand why.
It was a regular daily trip to this 7-Eleven on Medical Center Drive in McKinney for Nyshje Rattler. "I was just trying to get chips and a bottle of water," she said.
She paid with a credit card as usual, but later noticed that her drink and soda cost her nearly a thousand dollars.
The 25-year-old went back to the 7-Eleven where she last used the card and found out why.
"I'm like, 'Hey something happened with my card, let me check the machine and see something' and I just lifted it up and it was there," Rattler recalled.
Thanks to Rattler's quick thinking, the skimmer she found is in the hands of McKinney Police detectives, who are trying to determine who installed it, and how many people were victimized.
Police said the skimmer is made up of a replacement cover, likely purchased online by a criminal, outfitted with a computer board that can be accessed wirelessly, and placed on top of the store's identical credit card reader.
Corporal Melissa Taylor said the case is a good reminder to always perform a test before using an ATM, buying gas or making a purchase inside a store.
"I think it's really smart of her to sit down and really think about where the compromise actually happened," she said. "These are double-backed, taped on in most cases, so if you try to pull the cover off at the ATM, the keypad or the point that put your credit card in is going to come off."
In a statement, 7-Eleven said, "7-Eleven takes allegations involving card skimmers very seriously. 7-Eleven inspects gas pumps and card readers regularly and cooperates closely with law enforcement regarding related investigations. Customers who believe they may be impacted should call 1-800-255-0711."
The young mother who helped prevent others from becoming victims is still waiting to have her fraudulent charges reimbursed.