A Detroit couple were stumped for weeks – a series of liquor store charges appeared on their debit card, and they had no idea how the charges got there.
About $150 in charges for various liquors were charged at four different small liquor stores in Detroit.
The couple finally saw a story in a newspaper about a woman who worked at McDonald’s, who was charged with stealing customers’ debit and credit card information while working in the drive-thru at the fast food restaurant. She used a skimming device to obtain the data.
The Detroit couple saw the story and immediately realized they had been victimized by the woman. After doing some research and looking at receipts, the couple realized they weren’t 100 percent sure the woman had stolen their information as well. But the incident was enough to teach them a lesson.
The couple spent more than a month trying to clear the mess up with their bank.
The thief in this case, used a simple technique: She held the device in her left hand and swiped the card with her right hand, out of the line of vision of the customers. The thief stole more than 100 customer credit and debit cards, and said she would steal the data from about 15-20 cards each shift she worked.
She received the skimmer from an unidentified source, who she said paid her more than $1,000 for providing the stolen data. For each card she skimmed, she was paid an additional $15. The thief now faces up to 15 years in prison.
When going through a drive-thru, it’s best to pay in cash. However, it’s not very practical in this day and age. So just keep your eyes open and never take them off your credit or debit card. Don’t let a restaurant employee take your card out of sight, for even a second. You could regret it, like the couple in Detroit, if you do.
Tags: credit card theft, debit card theft, LifeLock, Skimming
