Mysterious chip found in Brighton ATM as ‘skimming’ incidents increase

Crime

Boston police report a recent increase in the use of illegal skimming devices across the Commonwealth.

As the holidays approach and shoppers descend on countless stores across Massachusetts, police are warning of a recent uptick in the use of illegal credit card skimming devices.

“The Boston Police Department is aware of a recent increase in the use of credit card skimming devices across the state of Massachusetts,” the agency said in a recent alert.

The announcement follows the discovery of an electronic chip inside an ATM in Brighton on Wednesday night.

Officers were called to a convenience store located on Market Street around 7 p.m., after a technician servicing the store’s ATM found a suspicious chip. Detectives documented the scene and secured the device as evidence. However, police said the incident remains under investigation and “serves as a reminder of the methods criminals use to obtain financial information from unsuspecting victims.”

According to investigators, skimming happens when criminals attach illegal devices to ATMs or store checkout terminals to steal people’s credit or debit card information. The devices are most often found in busy places like pharmacies, gas stations, and grocery stores.

Boston police said the skimmers can be hidden inside or placed over an ATM’s card reader, allowing them to copy information from a card’s magnetic stripe or chip. In some cases, thieves also set up tiny cameras to capture a PIN as it’s typed into the ATM. At store checkout counters, criminals may use plastic overlays on keypads or card readers that secretly collect card data.

People can protect their card information by using ATMs located inside banks or near visible security cameras, and checking cashier checkouts for loose or suspicious parts before inserting their card.

Police also recommend people shield their PIN from view when typing it into the pad or ATM — and if anything looks off, avoid the device and alert staff.

Experts say using a credit card rather than a debit card can reduce the risk to a bank account. Signing up for transaction alerts also helps people quickly spot unauthorized charges.

Anyone with information about the Brighton incident is asked to contact local police at (617) 343-4256. Anonymous tips can also be sent to CrimeStoppers at 1-800-494-TIPS, or by texting the word “TIP” to 27463.

Other skimming incidents can be reported to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.

Morgan Rousseau is a freelance writer for Boston.com, where she reports on a variety of local and regional news.