FM police looking for suspect for card skimming

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BY CHUCK VANDENBERG PCC EDITOR FORT MADISON - Local law enforcement is looking for a person of interest in a case that broke over the weekend involving a credit card skimming device placed over an ATM on the city's west side. On Sunday, Fort Madison Police posted on their Facebook page that they have a person of interest and they are looking for the public's help in identifying the person and locating his whereabouts.
Fort Madison police are looking for this suspect in connection with a skimming device that was placed on a Connection Bank ATM machine on the city's west side on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Fort Madison Police Department.
This is the vehicle Fort Madison police are looking for in connection with a weekend credit card skimming operation on the city's west end. Photo courtesy of Fort Madison Police Department.
"Working with Connection Bank, we now have a person of interest. If anyone can identify who this male is please call FMPD at 319-372-2525," the post indicated. "FMPD is confident that no one's banking information was compromised due to us having the skimmer in our hands. Reviewing video doesn't show the suspect came back at anytime to retrieve information. The skimmer was installed at approximately 0545 at the west end location and removed by FMPD at 1430. However if you still see fraudulent charges on your statements please contact your bank and FMPD so we can look into it. Also no one's personal information is comprised due to it not being stored on the card itself." The statement said the card skimmer was located on the ATM at the bank and encouraged ATM users to tug on the device that reads the card. "Thankfully, a Fort Madison resident who does this at every ATM or gas pump they used found this one," the statement indicated. Officials said card skimmers come in many shapes and sizes. Typically they will look identical to the original card reader. They are very discreet.
Card skimmers are used to obtain the information of the card being used. This information can then be transferred to another card that has a magnetic strip and then be used at a store or used online with the card information that was captured. This is also considered fraud and is being investigated. FMPD strongly recommends that before inserting your card, pull on the card reader itself. If there is any play in the reader then do not use it and notify an employee or local officials.
This is photograph of the skimmer that was found on an ATM machine on the city's west end. Photo courtesy of the Fort Madison Police Department.
 
       
city of fort madison, Connection Bank, crime, fort madison, fraud, Pen City Current, police, Skimmer

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