Skimmers staying one step ahead

ATM skimmers continue to get more sophisticated. This past summer a rash of skimmers were found in Oklahoma that incorporated the usual skimming technology with another link in the chain. These new skimmers had an antenna attached and would transmit the information gathered to a camera using infrared.

What this does is it allows the thief to leave the skimmer inside of the device and not risk being spotted retrieving it. All they have to do is retrieve the camera when it comes time to do so, a much less risky proposition. Some cameras have been found hidden by magazines or brochures or the mirror on an ATM.

The skimmer would transmit the victim’s card information using infrared technology. This gives the criminal two benefits: one is that there is no wi-fi signal that is exposed to the public and also these infrared signals cannot be jammed.

The technology used is similar to what is used in a remote control for your TV, which uses Consumer Infrared (CIR). It is the most common type of free-space optical communication in the world. It uses light propagating in free space to transmit information through the air. Originally devised by the Ancient Greeks, it has been used through the years for communication. The invention of the laser in the 1960s allowed infrared technology to take off. The technology is also used with wireless keyboards, mice and with laptops. The ability to program it to one of the many frequencies is what makes universal remotes so popular and what makes this technology so dangerous in the hands of credit card thieves.