Watch where you put your card. The ATM security organization EAST has published a new report pointing out that the use of s0-called Throat Inlay Skimming devices—which are hidden within the card slot—is rising.
These kinds of devices, pictured above, are “placed inside the card reader throat in front of the shutter,” according to EAST. The organization claims that three countries across Europe have reported a rise in the use of such devices, though it doesn’t say which.
Elsewhere, even smaller Internal Skimming Devices, one of which is pictured below, have been found in another unnamed country. These devices are typically “placed inside the motorised card reader behind the shutter.”
While these kinds of devices are being used more frequently, the report also suggests that skimming attacks as a whole aren’t on the rise—and in fact some nations which are major ATM deployers are actually reporting a decrease in their use.
While it’s practically impossible to spot some of these devices, the advice remains the same: Don’t use any card machine that looks suspicious, and report unusual activity on your account to the bank as soon as you can.