Red Deer RCMP believe debit and credit card fraud is the goal of someone who stole a portable point-of-sale machine from a city restaurant last week.
Red Deer RCMP say the hand-held wireless machine was stolen on Friday from Mr. Mike’s restaurant at 6701 50th Ave. RCMP are concerned the purpose of the theft is to alter the machine and then exchange it for another one at another unsuspecting business.
The stolen machine was an Ingenico 8200, serial #MONW82V306636469.
Last month, an alert customer noticed that a wireless point-of-sale machine in a different Red Deer restaurant had been tampered with. The observation saved other Red Deer residents from being scammed.
RCMP learned scammers had surreptitiously replaced one of the business’s point-of-sale machines with one that was set up to steal victim’s banking and credit card information.
In that case, the customer noticed that the credit card did not fit smoothly into the machine and observed that a magnetic strip had been inserted into the card reader slot. The strip was not present on other machines.
RCMP remind business owners not to let wireless point-of-sale (debit and credit) machines out of their sight. It only takes a moment for scammers to switch the machine with one that takes a magnetic skimmer. The skimmer then streams the client’s banking information and PIN numbers to the scammer’s device.
Businesses are asked to check their point-of-sale machines regularly. If you suspect your machine has been tampered with, call RCMP immediately.
Anyone with information that would assist police is asked to call Red Deer RCMP at 403-343-5575 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Information can also be reported online at www.tipsubmit.com.