Pictured at right is what a card skimming device looks like on an ATM machine.

The Waterloo and Millstadt police departments alerted residents over the weekend to the discovery of fraudulent card skimming devices on ATM machines at Scott Credit Union locations in their towns.

The WPD posted on Facebook that an ATM skimmer was found on the SCU machine Saturday morning.

“We believe only a small amount of users were possibly compromised,” the WPD posted on Facebook. “Scott Credit Union believes they have notified all the possible victims. We are working with Scott Credit Union to obtain video of the person who placed the fraudulent skimmer on the ATM. We want to remind everyone to always be vigilant when using an ATM, and if they see anything suspicious to contact the Waterloo Police Department immediately.”

Millstadt police said an SCU customer notified them of a skimmer found attached to an ATM machine about 3:30 p.m. Saturday in the strip mall on East Washington Street.

“The Illinois State Police Crime Scene Unit will be processing the skimmer in an attempt to obtain evidence,” Millstadt police posted on Facebook. “If you have used this ATM recently, please check your account for any fraudulent activity.”

Skimmers are devices that can read information enclosed in the magnetic strip on your debit card. They can usually be found above the card slot on an ATM. Once someone inserts a card into it, their data is transferred by the skimmer to the criminal’s electronic device.

“We have, like many other financial institutions and gas stations, fallen victim to criminals who are placing skimming devices on ATMs and gas pumps,” SCU Chief Marketing Officer Adam Koishor said. “We are very diligent in our efforts to prevent this from happening. We also have worked closely with local police departments and other government agencies in efforts to catch these criminals.

Koishor recommends that people be more aware when using their cards.

“They should pull on the machine where their card goes in before inserting their card,” he explained. “Typically, if there is a skimming device, it can be pulled off the machine. If that happens, they should contact the financial institution or gas station immediately.

“In this case, the skimming devices were detected shortly after the criminals placed them on the machines. We had very few cards involved. We have been in touch with our members and have prevented any fraud from occurring.”