Card skimmer found on Rock Hill ATM, police say

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By Ken Lemon

ROCK HILL, N.C. — Police are warning people to watch their bank accounts after a card skimmer was discovered in Rock Hill.

Bank employees discovered the device Sunday at the ArrowPointe Federal Credit Union ATM on Celanese Road near the Home Depot shopping center, then called police.

An unknown amount of ATM users may be impacted by the skimmer, according to the police report.

Customers swipe cards and enter PIN codes, and the information is captured so that thieves can fraudulently use cards anywhere.

Customer Bob Parker said situations like this are why he hasn't used and ATM in a decade.

"So callous and so uncaring, and so selfish to steal from other people,” Parker said. "People out there have learned how to abuse the wonderful gifts that we have been given through technology."

A spokesperson for the bank said they are also studying to stay one step ahead of the skimmers.

"We are watching everything continually," APFCU spokeswoman Felicia Pope said.

She said they are constantly updating their ATMs, but couldn't reveal how.

Those updates, she said, detected the attempted fraud Sunday morning.

"In cyber security and everything happening, we beefed up everything more, and more, and more," said Pope.

Thieves who use skimmers often target locations just off of the interstate.

Those locations will get a lot of users. Thieves can plant the device and get out quickly, and they can easily target multiple locations along one stretch of road.

"Lots of times, when we have been hit, other locales in lower North Carolina and upper South Carolina have been hit also," Rock Hill police Capt. Mark Bollinger said.

Authorities are reviewing grainy security camera video from the bank and will reach out to investigators in other departments.

The thief is a man, and he drove a dark-colored car, police said.

(Click PLAY to watch Action 9's tutorial on how to spot a skimming device)

Customers should inspect the swiper by grabbing or shaking it and should be suspicious if it’s loose. They should also cover the keypad with their hands while typing in the PIN.


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