Ken Harris's Shadow World Puppets: The Evolution of E-Skimming

Hi,

Thank you for visiting! As a Puppeteer, Journalist, and Blogger, I strive to spread cyber security awareness and scam prevention tips in a fun way. If you haven't already, please visit my website to sign up for my FREE e-newsletter at https://shadowworldpresent.wixsite.com/safe

Cyber attackers are coming up with new sophisticated ways every day to steal personal information and money from unsuspecting victims all over the world.

This is evident in their tactics of e-skimming. Have you ever heard of that?

Well, not too long ago, scammers planted a fraudulent device similar to the one in the picture above, at ATMS, gas pumps, and other terminals to gain access to sensitive data.

Overtime, more and more consumers became aware of these ploys and learned not to fall for them.

So, with the emergence of online banking, bad actors diverted their attacks to the bank institutions and retail corporations to harvest consumers account information.

They do this by infiltrating a company's server and contaminating the system with malware. Malware enables computer criminals to hijack personal information and the credit card and debit card numbers of consumers doing business with a company.

Usually online shoppers find out about the breach in one of two ways.

The company learns of the breach and informers customers.
Customers find out when seeing suspicious charges on financial statements.

Do you have an idea about what e-skimming is now?

Yeah, I know it sucks. You could utilize the best of safeguards and still fall victim to a fraudster.

But the Better Business Bureau recommends we implement these practices too be better aware of what's happening in our accounts.

Check banking statements regularly
Use Credit Card for Online purchases (in event of a hack, it will be easier and quicker to get reimbursement rather than from a debit card)
Ask banking institution about a virtual credit card (A reported questionable transaction can stop further use of your normal account which is tied to it).

Here is a video I created about online shopping safety.