A Piedmont Triad woman believes she fell victim to a skimmer after going shopping at a Walmart in Elkin, North Carolina. After I reported it. Authorities estimate about $100,000 was stolen. High Point Police told her WXII 12 News that the skimmer affects credit, debit and EBT cards (tap, chip, swipe). her situation. She and her husband went shopping at Walmart on her road to her CC camp in Elkin in mid-December and used an EBT card, she said. Ms Hollandsworth later went to a gas station to buy bread for her family and said she was “very embarrassed” when she found out her EBT card had been declined. “At that point, I was the only one working, so I had to use the only cash I needed to pay off the remaining balance. “When we spoke to EBT, they said it was someone in Houston who made the purchase and used our card.” She has six children — especially her husband, who is currently unable to work due to an injury. It’s very hard to get that.” She said the love of her children and her husband continues to give her the extra energy to get through this difficult time. I want to share this with you to warn other families to be careful and take care. It’s very heartbreaking what happened and I hope if anyone else doesn’t think it will happen to them they will take all sorts of steps necessary as this is very emotional “It’s heartbreaking,” she said. If you would like to help, please click here. Walmart: WXII 12 News reached out to Walmart for a response. She shared the following statement. We are aware of this issue and are working with local law enforcement. We are also taking additional steps to ensure our customers’ transactions are safe, including daily registration inspections. said. Data or record the cardholder’s girlfriend’s PIN. Criminals can use the data to create fake debit and credit cards to steal from victims’ accounts. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, skimming is estimated to cost financial institutions and consumers more than $1 billion each year. It is attached to the machine’s internal wiring and is invisible to customers, officials said. Skimming devices store data for later download or wireless transfer. Choose a fuel pump that is close to the store and in direct line of sight of the attendant. These pumps are less likely to be targeted by skimmers. Use your debit card as a credit card. If you can’t do that, cover the keypad as you enter your PIN. Consider paying indoors with a valet instead of pumping outside. Some ATM skimmers are inserted into card readers, placed in terminals, or placed along exposed cables. Pinhole cameras installed at ATMs record customers entering their PINs. There are many different pinhole camera placements. In some cases, record her PIN using a keypad overlay instead of a pinhole camera. A keypad overlay records customer keystrokes. Skimming devices store data for later download or transfer wirelessly. Inspect ATMs, POS terminals, and other card readers before using them. Look for anything that is loose, bent, damaged or scratched. If you notice anything unusual, do not use the card reader. Pull the edge of the keypad before entering your PIN. Then cover the keypad as you enter your PIN to prevent the camera from recording what you type. Use ATMs in well-lit indoor areas where they are less likely to be targeted. Beware of skimming devices in popular target tourist areas. Debit and credit cards with chip technology. Fewer devices are stealing chip and magnetic strip data in the US. Avoid using a debit card if you have linked your accounts. Please use a credit card instead. If the ATM does not return the card after completing or canceling the transaction, please contact your financial institution.
A Piedmont Triad woman believes she fell victim to a skimmer after going shopping at Walmart in Elkin, North Carolina.
This comes after High Point Police reported on Wednesday that there were skimmers at two Walmart stores in the city. Authorities estimate that about $100,000 was stolen.
High Point Police told WXII 12 News that the skimmer affects credit, debit and EBT cards (tap, chip, swipe).
Elkin Walmart:
WXII 12 News spoke with Joann Hollandsworth on Thursday to find out more about her situation.
She and her husband went shopping at Walmart on CC Camp Road in Elkin in mid-December and used an EBT card, she said.
Ms Hollandsworth said she later went to a gas station to buy bread for her family and learned that her EBT card had been declined.
“I was so embarrassed,” she said. “At that point, I was the only one working, so I had to use the only cash I needed to pay off the remaining balance. They come and go, but I’m the only one working, so it’s really hard.”
She called EBTEdge and found that someone had stolen about $800 from her account, she said.
“When we spoke with EBT, they said it was someone in Houston who made the purchase and used our card.
Hollandsworth said her family already had limited resources and the problem made it more difficult to support her family of six children.
“I was distraught and didn’t believe it happened. I mean, I was stressed out worrying about how I could provide for my children,” she said. I’m working, I just want to support my family and do what I can.
Hollandsworth told WXII 12 News that he was told he could not get his money back.
She said her children and her husband’s love continue to give her the energy to get through this difficult time.
She hopes to share her story to warn other families to be careful.
“I am very grateful for what we have, but it is very heartbreaking that it happened to us. I hope they take the necessary steps.This is very emotional and heartbreaking,” she said.
Lovers have created an online GoFundMe to help Hollandsworth and her family. If you would like to help, please click here.
Walmart:
WXII 12 News reached out to Walmart for an answer.
A spokesperson said the company is aware of the skimmer issue at its Elkin, North Carolina store.
She also shared the following statement:
“We do not tolerate crime against our customers or employees. We are aware of this issue and are working with local law enforcement. We have taken additional measures to ensure that transactions are secure.”
Elkin Police:
WXII 12 News reached out to the Elkin Police Department to see if they were investigating the incident and to gather more details.
We look forward to hearing from you.
A Surrey County lieutenant told WXII 12 News that the case was not being investigated.
How to recognize a skimmer:
Skimming occurs when devices illegally installed at ATMs, POS terminals, or fuel pumps capture data or record cardholder PINs. Criminals can use the data to create fake debit and credit cards to steal from victims’ accounts. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, skimming is estimated to cost financial institutions and consumers more than $1 billion each year.
Here’s how to spot skimmers and protect yourself, according to the FBI:
fuel pump skimming
Fuel pump skimmers are typically attached to the machine’s internal wiring and are invisible to customers, officials said. Skimming devices store data for later download or wireless transfer.
- Choose a fuel pump that is close to the store and directly visible to the attendants. These pumps are less likely to be targeted by skimmers.
- Use a debit card as a credit card. If you can’t do that, cover the keypad as you enter your PIN.
- Consider paying inside with an attendant instead of paying at the pump outside.
Skimming ATM and POS terminals
ATM skimmer devices usually fit into the original card reader. Some ATM skimmers are inserted into card readers, placed in terminals, or placed along exposed cables. Pinhole cameras installed at ATMs record customers entering their PINs. There are many different pinhole camera placements. In some cases, record his PIN using a keypad overlay instead of a pinhole camera. A keypad overlay records customer keystrokes. Skimming devices store data for later download or wireless transfer.
- Inspect ATMs, POS terminals, and other card readers before use. Look for anything that is loose, bent, damaged or scratched. If you notice anything unusual, do not use the card reader.
- Pull the edge of the keypad before entering your PIN. Then cover the keypad as you enter your PIN so the camera doesn’t record your input.
- Use ATMs in well-lit indoor areas where they are less likely to be targeted.
- Be careful of skimming devices that are easy to target in tourist areas.
- Use debit and credit cards with chip technology. In the United States, fewer devices are stealing chip and magnetic strip data.
- Do not use a debit card if you have linked your accounts. Please use a credit card instead.
- If the ATM does not return your card after completing or canceling a transaction, please contact your financial institution.
