ATM Skimmer Devices Found on Inova Campuses

We want to let you know about two ATM scanning devices that were found at two of our hospitals this week. Neither of these bank machines are either owned or “monitored” by Inova. They are located on hospital property but banking institutions are responsible for their maintenance and management – (November 30, 2012).

On Nov. 27, a device called a “skimmer” was found on a “Healthcare Systems Federal Credit Union” (HSFCU) ATM at Inova Fairfax Hospital, located on the ground floor of the Inova Heart and Vascular Institute. A second device was found at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital outside of the cafeteria on Nov. 28. The devices were removed and reported to the Fairfax County Police.

A “skimming” device is typically used by identity thieves to capture personal information on ATM cards. The skimmer is a fake cover placed over the card slot. It reads cards inserted into the ATM machine, and stores the information contained on the magnetic strip.

At this time, the Fairfax County Police Department’s investigation is ongoing. All ATMs on Inova campuses are being checked at least once a day by our Safety and Security team.

The HSFCU will be contacting and issuing new cards to potentially impacted HSFCU members. If you are not a customer of this credit union, and have used a HSFCU ATM on an Inova campus in the past two weeks, you are urged to contact your financial institution to see if there may be any suspicious activity on your account.

If you suspect that you have been a victim of an ATM skimmer, please notify your local Police Department to file a report. If you suspect that it may have happened while on an Inova campus, please contact your Safety and Security office.

Police indicated that this type of ATM crime is on the rise. As a precaution, you should check for skimmer devices on any ATM you use. You can usually do this by gently pulling on the cover where you insert your card. If it moves or comes off, do not use the machine and report it to either security or the local authorities.

During the holiday season there is typically a rise in skimmer devices at malls, shopping centers and other facilities. If you suspect that an ATM may have a skimmer device, do not use it.