It happened to Sarah on a regular Tuesday morning. She
stopped for gas before work, swiped her card at the pump, and continued with
her day. Two days later, she received an alert about suspicious activity on her
account. Over $800 in unauthorized purchases had been made in a city 200 miles
away.
Sarah had fallen victim to a card skimmer—a nearly invisible
device criminals attach to card readers to steal your information.
The Growing Threat of Skimmers
Card skimming continues to rise across the country. These
devices are becoming smaller, more sophisticated, and harder to spot. They can
be found anywhere you insert or swipe your card:
- Gas
station pumps
- ATMs
- Retail
payment terminals
- Restaurant
payment systems
Once a skimmer captures your card information, criminals can
create duplicate cards or use your data for online purchases.
How Tap to Pay Protects You
Your Chief Financial Credit Union debit and credit cards
come equipped with tap-to-pay technology that offers a powerful defense against
skimming fraud. Here’s why tapping is safer:
1. No Physical Contact with Card Readers
When you tap, your card doesn’t need to make contact with
potentially compromised card readers. This eliminates the opportunity for
skimmers to capture your card’s magnetic stripe data or the chip embedded data.
2. Unique Transaction Codes
Each tap-to-pay transaction generates a one-time code that
can’t be reused. Even if someone intercepted this code, they couldn’t use it to
make additional purchases or create a counterfeit card.
3. Your Card Never Leaves Your Hand
At restaurants or retail locations, tapping means your card
stays in your possession. No more handing your card to someone who might swipe
it through a skimming device out of your sight.
How to Use Tap to Pay Correctly
Using this security feature properly ensures maximum
protection:
- Look
for the contactless symbol (it resembles a sideways WiFi icon) on payment
terminals
- Hold
your card within 1-2 inches of the terminal
- Wait
for confirmation (usually a beep and/or green light)
- Put
your card away immediately
Staying Safe Everywhere You Go
Beyond tapping, protect yourself with these additional
practices:
- Regularly
monitor your accounts using online banking or our mobile app
- Set up
transaction alerts to notify you of purchases above amounts you specify
- Contact
us immediately if you spot anything suspicious
Your financial security matters to us at Chief Financial
Credit Union. That’s why we’ve equipped all our cards with this protective
technology at no extra cost to you.
Have questions about tap to pay or need help setting up
alerts? Our team is here to help!
Your peace of mind is just a tap away.