Mysterious chip found in Brighton ATM as 'skimming' incidents increase

"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."

"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.""

An electronic chip resembling a skimming device was discovered inside an ATM in Brighton after a technician found a suspicious part. Detectives documented the scene and seized the device while investigators continue to probe the incident. Skimming devices are attached to ATMs or store checkout terminals to copy magnetic-stripe or chip data, and criminals sometimes add tiny cameras to record PIN entries. These devices commonly appear in busy locations such as pharmacies, gas stations, grocery stores, and convenience stores. Consumers can reduce risk by using ATMs inside banks or near cameras, checking for loose parts, shielding PINs, using credit cards rather than debit, and alerting staff to suspicious devices.

Read at Boston.com