Official Media Release From The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service:

The Trinidad and Tobago Police ServiceTTPS) is urging members of the public to be extra vigilant when using ATMs and conducting Point of Sale transactions, as reports of card skimming at several commercial banks have been on the rise in recent days.

The Fraud Squad indicates that between Monday 3rd August, 2020 and Wednesday 5th August, 2020, over 60 reports of card skimming were made, with close to TT$300,000 being stolen from victims.

A skimmer is a card reader that can be disguised to look like part of an ATM. It captures customers’ information, card numbers and PIN codes, which are then replicated onto counterfeit cards.

The Fraud Squad advises that persons pay close attention to the following when using ATMs to conduct transactions:

-Tape and/or the smell of glue on any part of the ATM;
– Bulkiness on the card insert area or the PIN keypad;
– Anything hanging from the ATM; and
– Loose-fitting attachments on the keypad and card insert slot.

If you believe the ATM has been tampered with, or you find any card skimming equipment attached to the machine, or you believe you are a victim of skimming, contact the bank or the police immediately.

As far as possible, check your account balances regularly or sign up for instant notifications for activity on your bank accounts to keep track of all transactions.