Travel scams seem to be rife these days, with people targeting tourists to try to trick them out of their money or get them to sign up to dodgy deals.
One of the more brash ways scammers are doing thing is with card skimmers – fake devices designed to steal your credit card information in a matter of seconds.
A man in London said he found one of these devices fitted to an Oyster card machine at a tube station when he was trying to top up his travel credit.
Oyster cards are the popular travel cards used by locals and tourists all over London.
Since they can be used on both buses and trains almost every person who visits the city ends up getting one to save on money and time while they’re there.
Thinking quickly, he took photos of the card skimmer and shared them online so that he could warn others of the risk.
“I found a card skimmer on an oyster machine at Bank this morning,” he wrote. “Please be aware. Was found at 10:30 AM but could have been there for days.”
“You can see where it doesn’t line up flush with the machine. Please never try to remove one your self they are usually being watched just contact a member of staff and wait for police.
“They look exactly like the normal ones but they aren’t flush. If you look at them from below they are very obvious they stick way out.
“If your using a machine just run your fingers below it if you feel a solid line running along it like in my pic its probably a skimmer.”
The man said he alerted authorities who removed the device immediately.
It just goes to show that it pays to be extra careful when travelling and here at home too.
Whether your at an ATM or topping up a travel card, you should always look carefully to make sure there is nothing unusual about the machine and alert authorities if you have any suspicions.
Have you ever been the victim of a credit card scam? How do you protect your money when you’re travelling?
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