Police Issue Warning About ATM Skimming In Medford Township
By Tim Jimenez, Todd Quinones
MEDFORD, N.J. (CBS) -- Police in a Medford Township, New Jersey are warning ATM users about a skimming machine found at a local bank.
Skimming machines are undetectable by the average ATM user. Medford Police Chief Richard Meder says there was one installed, and then removed at the TD Bank on Stokes Road over a 24-hour period in December. He says complaints started coming in over the weekend.
"(We) began to get a lot of reports that residents of our town had their bank accounts fraudulently utilized," he says.
The skimming device allows thieves to obtain users ATM card information on the magnetic strip.
"Times are tough now, but you just can't steal money from people," says victim Russell Pence. "I had no money and you know how am I supposed to survive?"
Chief Meder says victims had up to a $1,000 taken from their accounts and he's worried there could be many more victims.
"In our town, only about 15 people have come forward," he says. "We believe as many as several hundred card swipes may have occurred on this machine."
Police are warning people who use the TD Bank on Stokes Road and other banks in the area to double-check their accounts.
"Obviously, not everybody checks their account every day, maybe sometimes not even weekly," Meder says, "and the longer they wait, the worse that this could be."
In a statement, TD Bank says it is contacting customers who may have been affected and that "…we sincerely regret any inconvenience this incident has caused."
Anyone with information or anyone who feels like they could have been a victim is urged to call Medford township police at 609-654-7511.
