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Before inserting your card, compare the ATM’s card reader and keypad with the surrounding machine. Look for parts that seem loose, crooked, damaged, unusually thick or out of place. If anything seems suspicious, do not use the ATM: move to another machine and report your concern to the bank or machine owner and local police.
A visual check can reveal some warning signs, but it cannot certify an ATM as safe. The U.S. Secret Service says devices inserted deep inside card-reader slots may be impossible to detect from outside.
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What ATM tampering can look like
Card skimming usually involves a device that captures card data at the reader. Criminals may also try to capture a PIN with a hidden camera or a false keypad. The parts can be difficult to distinguish from the ATM’s normal fittings, so treat visual clues as reasons to stop and choose another machine—not as proof that a crime has occurred.
Card reader and slot
Compare the reader with the rest of the machine. Be cautious if it appears loose, crooked, damaged, unusually bulky or poorly fitted, or if the card does not slide in easily. Look for scratches, tape, glue or adhesive residue, and an overlay that does not match the surrounding finish. FDIC financial crimes information specialist Amber Holmes advises: “Be suspicious if your card doesn’t easily go into the machine or if the card reader appears loose, crooked or damaged, or if you notice scratches, glue, adhesive tape or other possible signs of tampering.”
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Keypad
Check whether the keypad looks unusually thick, raised or unlike the machine’s normal design. A false keypad may be fitted over the real one to record keystrokes. Covering the keypad with your free hand can obstruct a camera’s view, but it will not stop a false keypad from recording what you type.
Seams, fittings and nearby objects
Look for seams that do not sit flush, loose wires, raised or wobbly panels, unusual stickers, or attachments that seem out of place. Small holes near the reader or keypad may also merit caution. A camera can be concealed in surrounding fixtures rather than on the ATM itself. The FDIC’s Michael Benardo described one possible hiding place: “If positioned correctly, a brochure holder on an ATM is the perfect place to hide a mini-camera that can record PIN numbers as customers type them.” Do not assume that finding—or failing to find—a camera clue settles whether the machine is safe.
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How to check an ATM before using it
- Pause before inserting your card. Take a moment to compare the card reader and keypad with the machine’s other fittings.
- Look and feel for anything out of place. Check for unusual thickness, poor alignment, looseness, damage, residue, unflush seams, wires or unexpected attachments. Do not force a card into a slot that feels wrong.
- Consider the setting. If practical, choose a visible ATM or one inside a bank. Notice people nearby and avoid using a machine if the location or circumstances make you uncomfortable. A secluded location alone does not prove tampering.
- Shield your PIN. Cover the keypad while entering your code, even if you did not spot a camera.
This check may help you notice some suspicious additions, but it is not a security test. The Secret Service’s February 2025 alert says devices can be inserted inside a card-reader slot where they may not be detectable externally. A clean-looking exterior is not a guarantee.
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What to do if something seems wrong
- Do not use the machine. Do not insert your card or continue a transaction if you see a suspicious part or the ATM feels wrong. Use another ATM or go inside a bank if practical.
- Report the concern. Contact the bank or ATM owner and local police. If the machine is at a bank, notify staff without touching or removing a suspected device.
- Act promptly if the ATM keeps your card. Contact the card issuer using its official phone number or app and follow its instructions.
- Review your account afterward. Check transactions for activity you do not recognize and report suspicious charges to your bank or card issuer. Small unauthorized transactions are worth reporting, too.
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