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Yes—card skimming still happens, and a chip card does not make every payment or account detail immune to theft. A tampered reader can capture card data or a PIN, while fake bank-security and delivery-fee messages can trick people into handing over payment details. Use contactless or chip payments when available, check for suspicious terminal changes, monitor transactions, and contact your issuer promptly if something looks wrong.
Are credit card skimmers still a thing?
Yes. The FBI describes skimming devices illegally installed at ATMs, point-of-sale terminals, and fuel pumps. As the agency puts it, “Skimming occurs when devices illegally installed on or inside ATMs, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, or fuel pumps capture card data and record cardholders’ PIN entries.” Criminals may use captured information to make counterfeit cards or carry out unauthorized purchases and withdrawals. The FBI estimates skimming costs financial institutions and consumers more than $1 billion a year; its guidance page does not state the estimate year.
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The collection method can be physical, but the fraud does not stop there. Stolen card details may be used later, and scammers also impersonate banks, businesses, or delivery companies to solicit payment information. An inspection or safer payment habit can reduce exposure, but none can guarantee a card or account is safe.
How do skimmers work, and where might you encounter them?
Fuel pumps
A skimmer at a pump may be wired inside the machine and invisible to a customer. That means a neat-looking exterior is not proof that the pump is uncompromised. Criminals may also target pumps where it is easier to access the reader without attracting notice.
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ATMs and point-of-sale terminals
At an ATM or checkout terminal, a device can be inserted into or placed over the card reader. A concealed camera or keypad overlay may capture a PIN as it is entered. A quick glance may spot a loose or mismatched part, but it cannot reveal every concealed device.
Messages that imitate a trusted organization
Not all payment-detail theft starts at a reader. In its 2024 review of impersonation scams, the Federal Trade Commission highlighted fake account-security alerts and bogus delivery-fee notices as lures for payment details. In 2023, consumers filed more than 330,000 business-impersonation reports and nearly 160,000 government-impersonation reports directly with the FTC. The agency also recorded $1.1 billion in combined reported losses to those scam types that year—more than three times the reported total in 2020. These are reports and reported losses, not a count of every scam or every victim.
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How do I know if a gas pump has a skimmer?
You may not be able to tell. A device can be concealed inside the pump, so inspection is useful but not conclusive. If a reader looks loose, damaged, or different from nearby readers, choose another pump or pay inside and alert the station. The FBI advises choosing pumps in an attendant’s view when possible.
For any card reader, look for visible irregularities around the slot or keypad, but do not treat a normal appearance as a clean bill of health. Shield the keypad while entering a PIN so a camera has a harder time recording it.
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How can I reduce the risk when paying?
- Tap when available. Contactless payment avoids inserting or swiping the card at that terminal.
- Prefer chip to swipe when available. Use the chip reader rather than the magnetic stripe when the terminal supports it.
- At a fuel station, choose a pump in view of staff. If practical, pay inside instead.
- Check the reader and keypad. If something appears loose, altered, or out of place, use another terminal and tell the operator.
- Shield your PIN. Cover the keypad as you enter it, especially at an ATM or unattended terminal.
- Watch your account. Review transactions and use issuer alerts or card controls if available.
- Verify unexpected requests independently. Do not click links or use phone numbers in unsolicited account-security or delivery-fee messages. Contact the organization through a number, app, or website you already know is genuine.
These steps lower opportunities for theft; they do not rule out internal tampering, compromised account details, or a convincing impersonation attempt. An RFID-blocking sleeve is not identified by the FBI’s guidance as protection against the skimming methods described here.
Can a chip card still be skimmed?
A chip helps when you use it at a chip-enabled terminal instead of swiping, but it does not prevent every kind of payment fraud. Skimming can involve capturing a PIN or card data at different types of readers, and a card number can also be stolen through an impersonation message or another exposure. Tap or insert when available, protect your PIN, and keep monitoring the account.
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What should I do if my credit card was skimmed?
- Contact the issuer immediately. Call the number on the back of the card, in the issuer’s known app, or on a statement—not a number supplied in an unexpected message. Report suspected theft and ask whether to lock or replace the card.
- Review recent activity. Identify unauthorized charges or withdrawals and report them to the issuer promptly. Follow the issuer’s instructions and keep notes of dates, amounts, and whom you contacted.
- Follow up in writing. The FTC recommends putting your report in writing and keeping a copy.
- Report suspected skimming. The FBI directs consumers to report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). You can also notify the terminal operator or local law enforcement as appropriate.
- Act on identity theft beyond the card. If your personal information was used or new accounts were opened, use the FTC’s IdentityTheft.gov recovery plan.
What should I do about an unauthorized card charge?
Contact the card issuer as soon as you notice it, even if you are still investigating how the information was exposed. The FTC’s guidance says federal law limits liability for unauthorized charges on lost or stolen credit, ATM, and debit cards, but the protection depends on the card type and when the loss is reported. Its summary distinguishes credit cards from ATM and debit cards:
| Card situation | FTC liability summary |
|---|---|
| Credit card: unauthorized charge after the card is used | Maximum liability may be $50, under the FTC’s stated conditions. |
| Credit card number used, but physical card not lost or stolen | You are not responsible for unauthorized credit charges, according to the FTC. |
| ATM or debit card: reported within two business days after learning of loss | Maximum loss of $50, under the FTC’s stated conditions. |
| ATM or debit card: reported more than two business days after learning of loss, but within 60 calendar days after the statement | Maximum loss of $500, under the FTC’s stated conditions. |
| ATM or debit card: reported more than 60 days after the statement | You may lose all funds taken after that point, under the FTC’s stated conditions. |
This is a summary of the FTC’s US federal-law guidance, not a substitute for contacting your issuer or reviewing the conditions that apply to your account. The timing distinctions are especially important for debit and ATM cards: report a loss or suspicious withdrawal right away rather than waiting to see what happens.
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Why these “old-school” scams still deserve attention
The FBI’s skimming guidance page listed prosecution or sentencing notices from 2025 and 2026 when accessed on October 4, 2026. Those notices show recent enforcement activity, not how common skimming is or whether it is increasing. The practical point is that physical tampering and modern impersonation lures can coexist: protect the transaction in front of you, and verify any later message asking for money or card details.
Quick Recap
Official guidance
- FBI: Skimming — how devices capture card data and PINs, prevention steps, reporting, and case notices.
- FTC: Lost or Stolen Credit, ATM, and Debit Cards — reporting steps and a US liability summary.
- FTC: Impersonation scams: not what they used to be — reported impersonation figures and examples of current lures.
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