{"id":14423,"date":"2024-11-12T16:18:07","date_gmt":"2024-11-12T22:18:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lexingtonlaw.com\/blog\/?p=14423"},"modified":"2025-06-04T16:15:18","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T22:15:18","slug":"credit-card-shimming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lexingtonlaw.com\/blog\/negative-items\/credit-card-shimming.html","title":{"rendered":"Credit card \u201cshimming\u201d: the new skimming"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, act as legal, financial or credit advice. <\/em>See Lexington Law\u2019s editorial disclosure for more information.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Credit card shimming is the act of stealing banking information from cardholders by reading the chips in their credit cards. Shimmed cards can be duplicated or and illegally sold to bad actors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Shimming\u201d is an alternative method of credit card fraud where criminals steal sensitive information from credit card microchips. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)<\/a> indicated that 1,036,903 instances of identity theft and counts of 101,427 of credit card fraud occurred in 2023. Credit card shimming and skimming can ultimately lead to identity theft<\/a> in certain scenarios.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, we\u2019ll explain the difference between shimming and skimming, where these scams are likely to occur, and what you can do if your credit card gets compromised. Consulting this guide will increase your awareness of shimming scams and help you protect your banking information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Table of contents:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Shimming vs. skimming<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. How to spot a credit card shimmer<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. How credit card shimming works<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. How to keep your card secure<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. What to do if you experience credit card shimming?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Get help with credit repair from Lexington Law Firm<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Shimming vs. skimming<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Credit card skimming and shimming are activities where bad actors lift financial information from credit cards. Skimmers target the magnetic strip on traditional credit cards, while shimmers target the chip in newer credit cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"An<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    For skimming or shimming to work, criminals have to attach illegal devices to card readers. They can mount these devices on top of card readers, which can blend in and trick unsuspecting shoppers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Conventional wisdom recommends feeling card readers at gas stations to see if they wiggle. Knowing how these methods of fraud work can also help protect your funds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How to spot a credit card shimmer<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    It can be quite difficult to spot a credit card shimmer or skimmer, but there are key questions to help you determine your risk at any transaction:<\/p>\n\n\n\n