Patrick County Sheriff's Office warns of deep insert skimmers; used for identity theft

PATRICK COUNTY – A credit and debit card fraud threat has made its way to Southwest Virginia. The Sheriff's Office says identity thieves are using a device called a "deep insert skimmer" to steal card numbers at ATMs and gas pumps. Unlike previous skimmers, the deep insert skimmer is installed in a way that it is not visible to the card user. The thieves are also using a very small camera to capture PINs when they are following insertion of a card. The cameras are so small that they can be hidden beneath the shrouds which are installed on some card readers to prevent an onlooker from seeing your PIN.

The Patrick County Sheriff's Office recommends that you:

• shield keypads with your hand as you enter the PIN to block detection of any camera which may have been hidden

• Keep regular checks on your card activity and notify your bank if you detect any suspicious activity

• Report any incidents of card fraud to authorities