Need cash? Hit the ATM. What could be easier? Unfortunately, it’s easy for identity thieves to hit the ATM for cash too…yours.

How do they do it? They’ve got all sorts of tricks to make you an unknowing victim of identity theft.

Shoulder surfing: This is an easy and low-tech way to get at your money. Look around some time when you’re using an ATM. That guy that’s crowding up behind you might be watching you as you punch in your PIN. Now, be sure to hang around the machine long enough to get your receipt. Otherwise, the ATM is going to come back with a “Do you want another transaction?” message. If you’ve already walked away, that guy that was standing behind you can clean out your account.

Skimmers: This a clever little electronic device that duplicates the debit card slot on an ATM. In fact, it slips right into that slot like a hand in a glove and is almost undetectable. The skimming device reads the data encoded in the magnetic strip of your card. Once the info is “harvested,” the thief can create a duplicate. The best way to protect yourself is stick a finger in the slot before you put in your card. If the slot jiggles around, find another machine.

Keypad covers: Check out the keypad at the ATM. If it seems a little odd, there’s a good chance someone has put a touch-sensitive overlay on it. If the keypad appears to have tampered with, find another machine.

Fake ATMs: Further evidence that you can buy anything on eBay—used ATMs have been purchased online for as little as $1,000. If you ever approach an ATM and see a sign posted re-directing you to another machine, move on and report it to the police.

Life Lock is the industry leader in ID theft protection. Go to LifeLock.com to learn more about the service LifeLock can provide to help protect your identity and your money. Use promotional code RD17 to get a discount.

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