After card skimming incident at Big Y, here are ways you can protect your payment information

In today’s age of modern technology, one of the worst fears for consumers is a fraud attack. Card skimming is an increasingly popular way for scammers to obtain your payment information.

It’s not just at gas stations either. Although gas stations are well known for issues with card skimming because of the location of the card readers, some grocery stores and other kinds of shops have fallen victim to card skimming. Just recently, Big Y in Plainville and Nauguatuck had card skimming issues.

According to a release from Big Y, the incident was discovered on June 29. An “unknown individual attached a skimming device to one single terminal in each of our Naugatuck and Plainville Connecticut locations.” The grocery store chain said they are “actively investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident, and we notified and are working with law enforcement. We have inspected all of our terminals, and continue to do so. If we learn that any particular customer’s information was compromised, we will promptly notify them and provide them with additional information so that they can take steps to protect themselves.”

So what’s the best way to protect yourself? There are a number of helpful tips on ways to combat card skimming and to keep your information safe.

• Inspect the machine. Look for any broken seals or a loose card reader. If your card can wiggle in the card reader, it may be compromised.
• Pay inside. When at a gas station, instead of paying at the pump which is more likely to have a skimming machine on it, pay inside the store.
• Protect your PIN. When entering your PIN, cover your hand with your other hand. Try and block anyone from being able to see your PIN entry.
• Inspect the keypad. Does it look like it could have been switched out?
• Use a credit card. Credit cards typically have multiple layers of protection when it comes to fraud. A quick call to your credit card company can usually clear up any fraud attempts. If you use something like a debit card, this can be a much more complicated process and then the thief has your checking and savings account information, not just a credit card number.
• Use contactless payments. Whether this is a mobile wallet or tapping your card, these methods of payment don’t go through a skimming device.
• Monitor your accounts. Always check and make sure any transactions on your account are something you authorized. See anything suspicious? Call your card company or bank immediately.
• Sign up for alerts. Many credit card companies have a feature that will send you a text or email when your card is used. This can help you catch fraud quickly.
• Try and pay with cash. This will eliminate any chance of fraud completely.
• Avoid outdoor ATMs and use bank ATMs when possible. This will minimize the chance that a scammer has placed a skimmer on a suspicious ATM.