Boston Police say a skimming device was removed from a Santander ATM inside a CVS on Border Street in East Boston after customers reported signs of tampering. Police issued a public warning on how the scam works and what people should do to protect themselves.
A Santander ATM inside a CVS on Border Street in East Boston wasn’t just taking money—it had a trap waiting for people at the card slot. Boston police say a skimming device was found there after it had been placed on the machine sometime between June 5 and June 6.
The device was described in a community alert as a makeshift ATM card slot and a pinhole camera that were later removed from the Santander ATM at 210 Border St. Police said victims told them they noticed the card slot “felt tighter” than usual. They also said the pin pad appeared to differ in material from the surrounding plastic on the ATM.
Police said the scam setup included a small hole drilled into the machine—something commonly used with pinhole cameras near the keypad. They also reported that store decals were missing from the ATM.
Skimming scams like this aren’t rare in the places people use cards every day, police said. Criminal organizations attach skimming devices to ATMs and point-of-sale terminals in locations such as pharmacies, gas stations, and grocery stores. The devices are designed to copy the victim’s card information. which is then coded onto another credit. debit. or financial card. police said. enabling thieves to make unauthorized purchases.
The details matter because these devices are made to blend in. Police said robbers design skimmers to look identical to parts of an ATM or POS machine. They said pinhole cameras—sometimes as small as the tip of a ballpoint pen—are often drilled near the pin pad to record a customer’s PIN number.
“At checkout terminals they design plastic covers that are identical to the top of a regular POS terminal,” the Boston Police Department wrote.
Police also shared concrete steps for people who want to protect themselves. Because skimmers can be loosely attached. officers said people should not use an ATM or POS machine if any part of it seems unsecure. and should contact the merchant immediately. They also pointed to broken PIN pad lights as another sign a machine may have been tampered with.
In the alert, police recommended using credit cards instead of debit cards so customers can bypass PIN requirements. They also said people should use some form of contactless payment.
And if someone believes their card information has been stolen, police advised contacting the card issuer’s fraud department and reporting the incident right away. They also urged cardholders to deactivate the card and get a new PIN.
East Boston CVS Santander ATM skimming device card skimming pinhole camera PIN theft Boston Police community alert contactless payment
Why is this always at CVS like they’re the hotspot or something?
I don’t even know how they can tell the card slot felt tighter?? Like what am I supposed to feel it with my whole life. Also if it was between June 5 and June 6… wouldn’t someone notice sooner?
Wait so the ATM literally had a “trap” but it’s also just a pinhole camera and a skimmer? I’m confused because wouldn’t Santander block that stuff from working in the first place. This is why I just withdraw cash at the bank, screw pharmacies.
Missing decals is crazy, like how do they even get in there. And they said use credit instead of debit to bypass PIN… but don’t credit still ask you for a PIN sometimes? Also contactless is great until the machine is dead or not working. I swear every week there’s some new “device” on ATMs and nobody checks them.