Point-of-Sale Skimmers: Robbed at the Register
Summary: Michaels Stores replaced more than 7,200 credit card terminals nationwide after discovering thieves had modified or replaced machines with point-of-sale skimmers capable of siphoning card data and PINs, though fewer than 100 were actually compromised. Krebs details how underground sellers market pre-compromised terminals, fake devices, and do-it-yourself kits - one seller's $3,000 kit includes a paper-thin PIN pad membrane and Bluetooth board for wireless data download, with volume pricing near $2,000 per kit for orders of 10 or more.
Why it matters: A $3,000 kit that records every PIN entry with a timestamp, plus sellers who will handle the ATM cashout for a cut, turns stolen card data into cash before a customer ever notices - and debit card holders, unlike credit card users, carry the paperwork burden of reversing the loss.
Read the original at Krebs on Security ↗
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