Card skimming devices found at multiple Walmart locations in region

Law enforcement agencies are investigating a series of card-skimming incidents at Walmart stores across the region.

Devices have been discovered at several locations, including the Walmart on Wards Road in Lynchburg and the Madison Heights Walmart, according to officials.

Lt. Greg Jones of the Amherst County Sheriff’s Office explained that the skimmers are placed on top of payment terminals and card readers, stealing data during transactions. "These are individuals that come in from out of town, other states. They travel through cities and areas and install the devices and then leave and go on to another location," said Jones. "It’s kind of like popping a cover on top of the existing card reader."

Jones advised consumers to be vigilant and inspect card readers for signs of tampering. "You got to be really alert and pay attention to the card reader that you're using, see if it’s been tampered with," he said.

The Amherst County Sheriff’s Office and Lynchburg Police Department, along with other agencies, are actively investigating the issue. Katie Jennings, a crime prevention specialist with the Lynchburg Police Department, noted that loss prevention partners often discover these devices. "A lot of time our loss prevention partners are the ones who find these, and it’s because they are looking at the credit card readers and they might be a little discolored, they might be a little thicker, they might look a little bit different," said Jennings. "We also have citizens who find them."

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Jennings advised citizens to compare card readers at checkout and report any discrepancies to sales associates. "If you are at the checkout, kind of take a glance at some of the other card readers, and if yours looks a little different you can tell the sales associate, and you guys can work together and see if it’s something where something’s loose, something doesn’t feel right," she said.

Authorities recommend using chip payments or tap-to-pay methods for increased security. They warn that skimming devices may also be found at other grocery stores, gas stations, ATMs, and anywhere else card transactions occur.

ABC13 reached out to Walmart for comment. They replied with this statement: “Walmart works hard to keep our customers safe from scammers and other criminals seeking to harm our customers. Walmart’s robust anti-fraud program has been effective at fighting fraud and continuously evolves to respond to the fraudsters’ ever-changing tactics.”